State Museum at Majdanek in Lublin

The State Museum at Majdanek was founded in November 1944 on the grounds of the former German concentration camp. It is an institution directly subordinated to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. In addition to organizing exhibitions, the museum also runs educational and academic activities. Since 2004 there has also been a non-local branch of Majdanek – Museum – Memorial Site in Belzec. The mission of the Museum is to cultivate the memory and promote historical education about the German occupation in the Lublin region during World War II, particularly by means of commemorating the victims, preserving the relics and documenting the history of the concentration camp at Majdanek and the death camp in Belzec.

The Majdanek concentration camp was liberated in almost intact material condition. Except for the partly burnt crematorium, the most important buildings were preserved: gas chambers, crematorium furnaces, most of the prisoner barracks, SS barracks, administrative buildings and warehouses. Initially, only a few barracks were used for the museum. Red Army and Polish troops stationed in the remaining part of the camp, disposed of the camp property as they liked. In addition, the condition of the buildings was deteriorating due to the fact that they were being dismantled by local people. Despite many efforts made by the museum workers, 80% of the wooden constructions of Majdanek were destroyed within a few months after the liberation. Lublin citizens, compost containing human ashes was collected from the grounds of the former camp and the surrounding fields. It was used to build the Mound, a common grave of Majdanek victims, near the execution ditches and the crematorium.

Address: 67 Droga Meczennikow Majdanka Street

Opening hours:
Mondays – Sundays – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.