The highly anticipated Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum opened to the public on Wednesday, September 18, a dream 40 years in the making with an expanded mission to educate students and the public about the history of the Holocaust, human rights, and the ethical responsibility for all humanity to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference.
The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is unique among the nation’s 21 Holocaust-related museums by expanding its examination of the Holocaust through technology-enriched galleries on human rights, other historic genocides, and America’s own journey for civil rights.
The Museum also features 68 video testimonies from Dallas-area Holocaust Survivors, stunning artifacts from concentration and death camps, monumental displays of real locations like the Brandenburg Gate, and a fully restored Nazi-era boxcar.
Modern, immersive, and interactive technology captivate visitors throughout the Museum’s three floors, including the Human Rights Wing where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Ten Stages of Genocide are explored; The Pivot to America Wing allows visitors to explore the development of civil and human rights throughout our nation’s history in in its American Ideals, Reality and Repair gallery. The gallery also spotlights American and Texas Upstanders who have driven the process of repair. The Beyond Tolerance Theater in the Pivot to America Wing allows visitors to learn about the role implicit bias plays in their own thinking.
Then, at the Call-to-Action kiosks, the visitor experience culminates in a call to act upon what visitors have learned on their tour by connecting with organizations to start making a difference.
The Museum also includes a 250-seat theater auditorium for film screenings and events, two classrooms, a climate-controlled library and archives, and the Memorial and Reflection Room for visitors to rest and reflect on the exhibition. A $10 million gift from Ann and Nate Levine of Dallas ensures that the Museum will be able to fulfill its mission for decades to come.
In addition, the new Museum is one of only two in the world that has a permanent Dimensions in TestimonySM Theater – an interactive, holographic project developed by the USC Shoah Foundation that allows visitors to interact with a Holocaust Survivor long after they are of blessed memory.
“After years of planning and fundraising, the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is finally ready to be unveiled, and we couldn’t be more proud of the Survivors, donors, and others who put in years of their lives to make this undertaking a reality,” said Mary Pat Higgins, Museum President and CEO.
“We are proud of the outpouring of support we received from the community to realize this dream,” said Frank Risch, Museum Board Chairman. “And, we will always be indebted to our amazing Survivors, the ones of blessed memory and the ones who are still with us, for their foresight and determination to create a place that will profoundly impact thousands of lives.”
The new Museum covers three floors and 55,000 square feet of space, featuring a dedicated parking garage across the street from the entrance and the ability to accommodate 200,000+ visitors a year.
“I am very excited that Dallas now has a state-of-the-art facility that showcases what can happen to societies that do not respect human rights,” said Nate Levine. “And, this museum is a lasting memorial to all those that perished in the Holocaust.
“With this remarkable new facility, this museum is poised to expand its vital mission to educate Texans about the Holocaust and the great collective resilience that follows in the wake of intolerance and injustice,” said Governor Abbott. “The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is a reminder of the evil that can exist in the world and it stands as memorial to those who lost their lives, so that their memory will never fade. All those who walk through these halls will be inspired to fight for human dignity and freedom throughout the world.”