Melbourne Holocaust Museum facts for kids
| Former name | Jewish Holocaust Centre |
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| Established | March 4, 1984 |
| Location | 13 Selwyn St, Elsternwick, Melbourne, Australia |
| Type | Holocaust museum |
| Founder |
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The Melbourne Holocaust Museum (MHM) is Australia's biggest place for learning about the Holocaust. It also helps people remember this terrible time and supports research. It used to be called the Jewish Holocaust Centre.
The museum was started in Elsternwick, Melbourne, Australia, in 1984. It was founded by people who survived the Holocaust. Its main goal is to remember the six million Jews who were killed by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945. It also shares the stories of survivors to help create a future free from hatred, racism, and prejudice.
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Learning About the Holocaust
The museum focuses a lot on teaching young people to stand against hate. Every year, thousands of students visit the museum. They take part in special programs designed just for their age group.
What You Can Do at the Museum
Besides guided tours, the MHM offers programs for adults. They also train teachers and host many public events.
The museum has a huge collection of over 1,300 video stories from survivors. It also holds more than 12,000 historical items. These include documents, photos, artworks, and objects from the Holocaust time.
How the Museum Started
The museum began without much money from the government or big companies. It has always relied on help from Holocaust survivors and their families. Volunteers and generous people have also given support. The museum has become a lively place thanks to the special help from Melbourne's Holocaust survivors.
Miriam Fink was part of the first group that organized the museum. She and her husband, Leo, created a special fund. This fund, called the Leo and Mina Fink Fund, helped buy the building for the Centre.
A New Look for the Museum
The museum closed to visitors in 2020 for a big renovation project. This work was done with Kerstin Thompson Architects and McCorkell Constructions. In April 2023, before it reopened, the museum changed its name to the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. It also got a new logo.
In November 2023, the museum officially opened its doors again. It now has two permanent exhibition areas and a gallery for temporary shows. There's also a virtual reality film experience and a special memorial room. The new museum also has two auditoriums and four classrooms.
Exhibitions to Explore
The main exhibition is called 'Everybody Had a Name'. It tells the story of the Holocaust step-by-step. It starts with Jewish life before the war. It ends by showing how local survivors rebuilt their lives in Melbourne after the war.
Another exhibition is 'Hidden: Seven Children Saved'. This is an immersive audio-visual show made for younger visitors (aged 10 and up). It shares the journeys of seven children who had to hide during the Holocaust. The new museum also features the Pillars of Witness sculpture by Andrew Rogers.
Helping Hands at the Museum
Since 2008, young Austrian volunteers have worked at the MHM. They can choose to work here for 10-12 months instead of military or civilian service in Austria. Their jobs include translating documents and getting exhibitions ready. They also work in the library and organize photographs.
See also
In Spanish: Jewish Holocaust Museum and Research Centre para niños
- Jewish Museum of Australia
- Sydney Jewish Museum
- Australian Association for Jewish Studies
Sources/ External links
- Jewish Holocaust Centre
- Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service
- Austrian Service Abroad
