The Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan
The museum reflects the horrors of one of history’s worst genocides. Its design has been described by the Wall Street Journal as “as disturbing as what it portrays.”
The memorial center features an Eternal Flame, Eastern European shtetl life, and other exhibits. It also hosts events, including learning & leadership programs, institution tours, and virtual museum experiences.
What to Expect
The Holocaust Memorial Center, also known as the HC, is an important cultural and educational institution in Metro Detroit. The HC is a multi-faceted facility that includes core exhibits, a research center, and archives. The HC serves students, educators, families, and community members by educating people about the history of the Holocaust and other forms of prejudice and discrimination.
The HC is located on the campus of the Jewish Community Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan. It was first founded in 1984 and moved to the new facility in 2004 after outgrowing its former home.
The HC’s exhibits are designed to take visitors on an historical journey beginning with European Jewish culture and ending with Adolf Hitler’s attempt to exterminate Jews in the Holocaust. The HC exhibits include artifacts, photos, videos, and audio presentations.
Admission
The museum is open to everyone and has no admission cost. Visitors will be given a tour guide and a booklet that contains information about the exhibits.
The exhibition starts off with an illustrated tracing of Jewish history. It then leads to a replica of a shtetl, which showcases typical Jewish homes, shops, and synagogues.
The next section explains the spread of concentration camps and extermination camps that began to be built in 1933. This portion of the exhibition is very powerful and will give you a glimpse into the horrors that many people suffered during this period. It also shows how the Nazis used propaganda to persecute the Jews. This part of the exhibit will also make you realize that it is never too late to stand up against racism and hate.
Audio Tours
Despite the tragic losses that occurred before, during and after the Holocaust, Jewish people are resilient. They’ve rebuilt their lives, and they’ve regrown their families.
Although there are fewer survivors left to share their stories with us, the Museum does host speakers throughout the year. They offer prompts for visitors to delve deeper into Survivor stories, and themes of resistance and survival.
The Museum also hosts a virtual resource called Voice Vision, an audio-described tour of two of the Museum’s key spaces, Hall of Witness and Hall of Remembrance. This free audio tour was developed in partnership with the American Council of the Blind. It can be accessed through the Holocaust Museum’s website. The site offers digital Holocaust resources and links to the New York Tolerance Center, the Center for Human Dignity in Jerusalem and other social justice organizations.
Exhibits
The Holocaust Memorial Center (HC) is a place to remember the past and promote inclusivity, equality and fairness for the future. The organization accomplishes this through museum exhibits, research and education, and in-person and virtual programs.
The core exhibit of HC features artifacts from the Holocaust and Jewish history. The exhibit is organized into a circular room that leads into an interactive guide to global Jewish history, starting in 2000 BCE and ending in 2001.
One notable exhibit is “The Book Smugglers,” which showcases the work of artist Erich Lichtblau-Leskly. While imprisoned in Theresienstadt, he used art and satire to adapt and resist Nazi persecution. The exhibit also highlights a number of famous people who helped Jewish displaced persons, including Emma Schaver, Louis Berry and Mabel Giszezak.
Activities
The museum is a great place to learn about the Holocaust. It educates visitors about how hatred, discrimination, and misinformation helped fuel a genocide that was both terrifying and devastating to the world. The museum also promotes inclusivity and equality to the world today.
The HC features core exhibits, research libraries, archives, and an art gallery. The facility reaches out to over 100,000 people each year through teacher trainings, virtual museum experiences, and in-person visits to the memorial.
As the only Holocaust museum in Michigan, it’s a popular spot for school field trips and other tours. It’s currently undergoing a complete renovation of its current core exhibit, which is expected to reopen early next year. Until then, the HC is offering free admission to everyone because of the recent rise in antisemitism incidents around Metro Detroit.