Toronto Holocaust Museum
Overview
The Toronto Holocaust Museum provides meaningful Holocaust education and honors survivors and those who perished.
Details
- Client
- UJA Federation
- Project
- Toronto Holocaust Museum
- Size
- 10,000 sq. ft.
- Scope
- Exhibit Design - Culture
- Location
- Toronto, ON, CA
- Year Completed
- 2023
The
Goal
The goal of the Museum is to preserve the testimony of survivors; to ensure the effects of the Holocaust are not lost on future generations; and to create an experience which will help the Museum connect with and impact every visitor. R&P came on board to provide master planning, architectural and exhibit design services for the new Museum.
The
Design
The aging population of the survivor community necessitated a reimagining of the Museum, and a need to preserve their stories. Creative uses of technology were at the forefront of the design planning. Large format interactive stations were created to document testimonies and provide visitors an opportunity to hear directly from 70 survivors about their experiences. Augmented reality tablets travel with visitors through the exhibits, deepen the experience and provide metrics that are tabulated for docent led student discussions. These intimate encounters elicit a direct connection to their story. A powerful film, historical narratives, personal artifacts, augmented-reality experiences, and a memorial space support the layered and unique visitor journey. Curved sweeping walls open the exhibits allowing visitors to explore the exhibitions chronologically or thematically as desired. Visitors end their visit in the research center to engage in thoughtful discussion about what they had learned and connect the themes to current topics.
The
Result
The new museum is a place where students and the general public will learn about the people who enabled the Holocaust, represented by the categories of victim, bystander, perpetrator and rescuer. Connections with contemporary genocides and other current-day events driven by hate, antisemitism, and prejudice are also presented. The audience not only learns about history but also from history.
The Museum will ensure the effects of the Holocaust are not lost on future generations, that the testimonies of the survivors will be preserved, and that the content and experiences at the Museum connect with and impact each visitor.
