Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati4 min read

The Holocaust & Humanity Center is opening to the public Sunday January 27^thin its new home at the Union Terminal. It is the perfect location for the new 7,500 sq. ft. permanent exhibit because of the direct connection with the history and journey of so many. This is the exact location that over 1,000 holocaust survivors arrived and got off the trains in hopes of rebuilding their lives. The exhibit starts upstairs with wonderful sculptures that depict the people that may have walked through the concourse back then and replicas of letters and documents that give “life” to the people you will learn about when you go downstairs to the exhibition. What is so powerful is that when you are down in the museum the whole space is literally under where the survivors walked off the train.

As you go down the steps, you are surrounded by personal letters and documents that lead you to a graphic novel mural with stories that truly connect you with the people you will learn about. Then you enter the Winds of Change Theater showing a film where the survivors are telling their stories. The executive director and one cool person, Sarah Weiss, says is “the history of the holocaust as well about humanity”. These are all local Cincinnati stories from families of the descendants who still live in our neighborhoods and communities.  They share their stories about the journey and the people they knew that weren’t as lucky as them …. the ones who could not escape Europe.

One thing that Sarah said that touched me was, “This isn’t just about history, it’s about us. This is about the present and the future, as well…. When you look at one of the darkest chapters of humanity, we look at what can we learn from this and what can we do better for humanity.”

You will be pulled in by the images and film clips and artifacts that chronologically take you from life before the war through the events that followed. There are wonderfully created, interactive pieces. One that was very interesting was the wall that has a window which (most museums do not have windows). As they were working on the exhibit, they kept noticing the trains out back and so they opted to have a little window that glances out to the trains where the survivors arrived many years ago.

Another impactful exhibit was the wall made of bullets, depicting an actual photo from the scene where people were shot after having dug their own graves. You will stare at this wall and get chills.

You’ll learn about life after the war. What the survivors did after they moved to Cincinnati. So many great stories.

You’ll wind around so many great vignettes, then end in the Humanity Gallery…a modern area of the exhibit that touches on contemporary issues. People who have impacted humanity in small and large ways here in Cincinnati. This is the area where you see how you can make a difference. There is a significant area about Miami University and how, through the process of changing their mascot from Red Skins to Red Hawks, they partnered with the tribe to bring awareness and sensitivity. Miami has even created a partnership with them by building a center and bringing the tribes of young people to the University.  This is just an example of how we currently can make positive change.

The final piece of the Museum is a mural called “Make your Mark” where you’re invited to take a picture that is interactively displayed on a wall screen, along with all the other visitors. You can reflect on what you learned from your experience. Loved this!

When you exit you will go right back out to the lobby with the “graphic novel” wall mural. Sarah says she hopes that this time… when you look at the wall and put a story with the faces you see… that they come to life for you.

Things To know:

 Events on Sunday are FREE to the public!

•1301 Western Ave.

•The date of the opening is of particular importance because it coincides with International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 74^thanniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.  FREE events that day are as follows:

1:00 PM Holocaust survivor & descendants processional followed by opening ceremony and ribbon cutting

2:00 PM Holocaust survivor Renate Frydman shares her husband’s survival story

3:00 PM Special performance by the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra

4:00 PM The making of Cincinnati’s Newest Museum panel discussion with exhibit designers Berenbaum Jacobs & Associates and Jack Rouse Associates

Ongoing Holocaust survivor testimony films along with a behind the scenes of Cincinnati’s Newest Museum film

Limited Museum Admission for Sunday, January 27:

Timed tickets to the museum are available online in 15 minute intervals from 1:45-4:30 PM. Please note that tickets are available on a limited basis. Advance purchase is suggested. Click below to purchase tickets.

https://holocaustandhumanity.brownpapertickets.com/

Starting on Monday the museum will follow the same hours as the other attractions and will be open every day 10-5.  Tickets can be purchased at the box office or by calling 513-287-7001.

Admission prices are $10, $7.50 military, seniors and museum members, $5 students