As many as 1.5 million innocent people died at Auschwitz in horrifying conditions : its name a reminder of the atrocities of the Holocaust . But authorities say that the former concentration camp , now the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum , in Oświęcim , Poland , is becoming a popular tourist destination - so popular in fact , that they may have to start turning people away . The memorial site today urged potential visitors to book their visits online ahead of time to prevent that from happening . Scroll down for video . A sign in front of a watchtower at Auschwitz I concentration camp , which has become an unlikely tourist . It said there have been more than 250,000 visitors so far this year , a rise of more than 40 per cent compared with the same period last year , which itself hit a record with 1.5 million visitors . 'Going through the Auschwitz-Birkenau space is not an easy experience for anyone , ' said Dr. Piotr M.A . Cywiński , Director of the Museum . 'This authentic place has become the symbol of evil for the entire world , which is manifested by an over threefold increase in attendance , interest of the media , internet statistics as well as over half a billion people throughout the planet who watched the 70th anniversary of the liberation of KL Auschwitz live on television . ' Tourists take photographs at Auschwitz , which has had more than 250,000 already this year . The memorial site has urged potential visitors to book their visits online ahead of time to ensure entry . The increase in popularity has led to various security changes , and visitors are now advised to book ahead inorder to avoid congestion inside the former Nazi concentration camp . Just 30 people are allowed to visit Auschwitz I - the original camp at any one time - for safety reasons , as well to conserve the buildings and create the best conditions for learning about its history . So a website for the site has been created enabling booking , which guarantees entrance to the Museum on a chosen day and hour . The site attracted headlines in 2014 when an Alabama teenager took a selfie during a tour of the death camp . 1 . Ground zero – site of 9/11 in New York . 2 . Auschwitz – concentration camp , Poland . 3 . Alcatraz – prison , San Francisco . 4 . Pompeii – Italy . 5 . Omaha and Utah beaches – D-Day invasion scenes , France . 6 . Killing fields – Cambodia . 7 . New Orleans – Site of Hurricane Katrina disaster , USA . 8 . Chernobyl – Nuclear disaster site , Ukraine . 9 . Giglio , Italy – scene of the Costa Concordia disaster . 10 . Haiti – site of devastating earthquake . According to online travel agency sunshine.co.uk . Visitors also have to undergo safety control : It is forbidden to light candles outside designated areas . or to carry objects which may pose a threat to the life , health and safety . Smoking cigarettes and e-cigarettes is also strictly forbidden and only small bags are allowed into the museum . In 2014 , 1,534 000 people visited Auschwitz , the highest number during one year than ever before - the highest attendance in the history of European memorial sites . January saw the 70th anniversary of the camp 's liberation , a possible reason for the surge in interest . Auschwitz after its liberation in January 1945 . A group of children who survived the camp , pictured . January saw the 70th anniversary of the camp 's liberation , a possible reason for the surge in interest . It also attracted headlines in 2014 when an Alabama teenager was criticized for taking a smiling selfie during a tour of the German death camp . Visiting scenes of death and disaster might seem inappropriate to the average holidaymaker , but dark tourism appears to be on the rise . Professor Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University , who has written a blog post on death fascination says there are a number of reasons for our interest in the macabre . 'There 's a huge market for witnessing the extremities of human behaviour . By looking at something so extreme it makes us feel better about ourselves , ' he told MailOnline Travel .
10 people have visited Nazi concentration camp in 2015 . Visits have increased by 40 % since same period of the previous year . January saw 70th anniversary of its liberation and a surge in interest .