Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum facts for kids
The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is a special museum in Dallas, Texas. It's located in the historic West End Historic District. The museum's main goal is to teach everyone about the Holocaust and human rights. It helps people understand history so they can fight against prejudice, hatred, and not caring about others. The museum also has a research library and archives to help with learning.
The museum's current building opened its doors on September 18, 2019.
 |
|
Museum Entrance on Houston Street
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Former name | Dallas Holocaust Museum Center for Education and Tolerance |
|---|---|
| Established | 1984 |
| Location | 300 N Houston St, Dallas, TX 75202 |
| Type | Holocaust / human rights museum |
| Visitors | +80,000 annually (2018) |
| Architect | Omniplan |
| Public transit access | DART - West End station |
| Nearest car park | 333 N Houston St, Dallas, TX 75202 |
|
Kingman-Texas Building
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
| Location | 209-211 N. Record St. |
| Built | 1907 |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| Part of | West End Historic District (ID78002918) |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated CP | November 14, 1978 |
Contents
Museum History
The museum's story began in 1977. About 125 Jewish people who survived the Holocaust in Dallas came together. They formed a group called Holocaust Survivors in Dallas. In 1984, these survivors and other helpers created The Dallas Memorial Center for Holocaust Studies.
This first center was inside the Dallas Jewish Community Center. In 2005, the center changed its name to the Dallas Holocaust Museum Center for Education and Tolerance. It moved to a temporary spot in downtown Dallas. Now, the museum is in a large, permanent building in Dallas' historic West End. It is 55,000 square feet big.
The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is also part of the Monuments Men and Women Museum Network. This network started in 2021.
Main Exhibitions
The museum has a main exhibition with four parts. These parts were designed by experts called Berenbaum Jacobs Associates. They are the Orientation Wing, Holocaust / Shoah Wing, Human Rights Wing, and Pivot to America Wing.
Orientation Wing
Your visit to the museum starts here. You'll go into a small theater to watch a short film. This film asks important questions. For example, "Why should I care about the Holocaust and human rights?" It also asks, "What can I do about these issues?"
After the film, you learn about Jewish people. You'll discover why hatred against them was a big part of how Hitler and the Nazis rose to power. You'll also see photos of Jewish families in Europe before the Holocaust. These photos are from the families of survivors who live in the Dallas area. From here, you go to the third floor to see more exhibits.
Holocaust / Shoah Wing
This part of the museum teaches you about the history of the Holocaust. You can hear stories from 68 local survivors. There are also 9 original films to watch. The exhibit shows how the Holocaust happened in different places. It also highlights "Upstanders" from across Europe. Upstanders are people who stood up against injustice. You can also walk through a real Nazi-era train car. This is the first time such a car has been shown in a museum anywhere.
Human Rights Wing
In the Human Rights Wing, you learn about how human rights have grown around the world. It starts with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document gives ideas for how people and countries should act. This wing also explains why the Nuremberg Trials were important. These trials brought justice after World War II and the Holocaust.
You'll also find the Ten Stages of Genocide Gallery here. This gallery has 10 tall displays. Each one shows a historical event where a large group of people was targeted and killed. Examples include the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis, the Guatemalan genocide, and the Holodomor in Ukraine.
Pivot to America Wing
The Pivot to America Wing encourages visitors to "Embrace Ideals. Challenge Reality. Participate in Repair." This part of the museum looks at the American experience. It explores America's ideals, what reality is like, and how the country tries to fix things. The goal is to make reality match its ideals more closely.
You can learn about how civil and human rights have developed in the U.S. through interactive screens. You'll also discover "Upstanders" from Texas and other places. These are people who have worked to improve America. Your visit ends with a "Call to Action." This challenges you to believe in good ideas, question what's happening, and help make things better. Here, you can find ways to get involved and make a difference.
The museum also has a theater with 250 seats. This theater is used for special events and presentations. You can also watch video stories from local Holocaust survivors there.
Dimensions in Testimony Theater
The museum has a special interactive exhibit called Dimensions in Testimony. The USC Shoah Foundation created this. This theater uses 3D hologram technology and artificial intelligence. It lets you see and hear genocide survivors answer questions. It's like they are right there in the room with you, even if they are no longer alive.
Max Glauben was one of the museum's first founders. In 2018, the USC Shoah Foundation filmed him. They used 18 cameras and a green screen. Max survived the Warsaw Ghetto as a child. He became an orphan at age 13 while in the Budzyn Labor Camp. He answered over 1,000 questions about his life for his hologram. He is one of the Holocaust survivors you can interact with in the Dimensions in Testimony Theater.
Building Design
The museum was designed carefully, starting from the inside. Dr. Michael Berenbaum helped with the design. He used to be the project director for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The outside of the museum looks like the old brick buildings in the West End. But it also stands out with a large band of copper around it. Over time, this copper will change color and get a unique look. This change shows the importance of never giving up and getting through tough times.
OMNIPLAN was the architect for the building. Datum Engineers, Inc. from Texas handled the building's structure. Pacific Studio from Seattle built and put together the main exhibits. The museum can now welcome over 200,000 visitors each year. About half of these visitors are expected to be students.
See also
