Guests are very welcome to visit the Arolsen Archives in person. The world’s most comprehensive archive on the victims of National Socialism is open to all. Please note the special access instructions due to the pandemic. 

Opening Hours and Reading Rooms

Our reading room is available during the following opening hours:

Monday to Thursday 8.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.

Friday 8.00 – 1.00 p.m. | 1.00 p.m. – 3 p.m. by appointment

If you would like to visit the reading room, please use the inquiry form and register one week in advance. If you would like to view original documents for family members, please register four weeks in advance. See below for more information.

 

Registration

In order to be able to provide you with the best possible service when you visit our institution, we need you to register in advance and provide information on the subject of your inquiry. Here you can access our inquiry form; this is the easiest way for us to process your registration.

 

“A Paper Monument” Exhibition

Our exhibition presents the fascinating history of the Arolsen Archives and sheds light on various aspects of the organization’s work, including the search for missing persons and the documentation of Nazi crimes. The exhibition is open to the public during the opening hours given below. There is no need to register in advance. Please contact us if you would like to arrange a private guided tour for a group. Alternatively, groups are welcome to join one of our regular public tours.

You can find more information about the exhibition here and even take a virtual tour to explore individual exhibits and find out about the topics they cover!

 

Opening hours of the exhibition

You can visit our exhibition without registering in advance on the following days:

Wednesday – Friday: 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

The exhibition is also open from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. every first Saturday of the month and on other special dates to be announced at short notice.

 

Private tours

Guided tours can be arranged by appointment for groups of 5 to 20 people (larger groups must be split).

Monday – Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

We are happy to answer your questions about guided tours and receive requests for specific dates. Please call us by phone on +49 5691-6290 or use our contact form to arrange your visit at least 5 working days in advance.

 

Public tours

Every 1st Tuesday of the month – guided tour in German

Every 1st Wednesday of the month – guided tour in English

Time: 2:00 p.m; Address: Schloßstraße 10, 34454 Bad Arolsen

Please register in advance if possible (using our contact form). However, advance registration is not mandatory, and there is no minimum number of participants.

Where can you find us?

The Arolsen Archives are located in Bad Arolsen, a town in northern Hesse not far from Kassel, Germany.

Arolsen Archives
Große Allee 5-9
34454 Bad Arolsen
Germany

Exhibition
Schloßstraße 10
34454 Bad Arolsen
Germany

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