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The Museum of Tolerance
The Simon Wiesenthal Center Creates A "Must-See" Museum In Los Angeles Focusing On Tolerance And Understanding. "Unique in both substance and style... The Museum of Tolerance is a $55 million world-class human rights laboratory and educational center dedicated to challenging visitors to confront racism and bigotry and to understand the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary contexts. The genesis for the Museum-the first of its kind in the world-came from the leadership of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an internationally recognized and acclaimed Jewish human rights organization named in honor of famed Nazi hunter, Simon Wiesenthal. Further adding to the impetus for such a museum was the troubling discovery that a new generation of young people was beginning to question whether or not the Holocaust ever happened.
In the late 1980's, Wiesenthal Center leadership and representatives from the world's top museums began discussing how to promote tolerance and understanding. The decision was made to create a museum - but not an ordinary museum of artifacts and documents. The daunting task was to create an experience that would actively challenge people of all races, creeds, colors, and ages to confront their most closely-held beliefs. In February 1993, the Museum of Tolerance opened to the public. It soon received acclaim from national and international leaders, and was described by Time magazine in an extensive article as an "extraordinary new museum." Within a few short months it became a "must-see" attraction in Southern California. Today, the public has come to view the Museum not only as a symbol of society's quest to live peacefully together, but also as an important resource on how to achieve that goal. Major corporations, medical students, local police agencies, and students from throughout the region have experienced the Museum as part of special sensitivity training programs designed to meet their particular needs. Technologically Advanced Exhibits "...Remarkable... the museum reaches out and grabs its visitors. The unique educational displays in the Museum of Tolerance are designed to engage all visitors. Through technologically advanced exhibitry, hands-on computer stations, interactive displays, graphics, films, and video monitors, this unique Museum highlights two central themes: the history of racism and prejudice in the American experience, and the story of the most monumental example of man's inhumanity to man - the Nazi Holocaust.
The 165,000 square foot Museum complex includes a 28,000 square foot permanent exhibition level that houses the Tolerancenter and the Holocaust Section and an 8,400 square foot Multimedia Learning Center. In addition, there is an exhibit area for the Museum's archival collection, a temporary exhibit gallery, a 150-seat auditorium, and a 324-seat theater to preview films, lectures, and seminars on the Museum's themes. Central Museum Themes The two distinct themes of the Museum are displayed in the Tolerancenter and the Holocaust Section. Tolerancenter In the Tolerancenter, visitors focus on the major issues of intolerance that are part of daily life. Among the exhibits: The Millennium Machine uses interactivity to inform visitors on human rights abuses throughout the world, such as the exploitation of women and children, the threat of terrorism, and the plight of refugees and political prisoners. Visitors are questioned on their knowledge of these subjects and then challenged to seek solutions. Globalhate.com is an exhibit based on ongoing investigation of hate on the Internet by Wiesenthal Center researchers. It is equipped with touch screen computer terminals that display a selection of the over 2,000 problematic sites on the Web that have developed in recent years. Photo panels show how communities struck by some of the worst hateinduced violence have joined together to take action against the further spread of hate. The Point of View Diner, is a re-creation of a 1 950's diner, red booths and all, that "serves" a menu of controversial topics on video jukeboxes to relay the overall message of personal responsibility. Following scenarios focusing on drunk driving and hate speech, among others, this interactive exhibit allows visitors to input their opinions on what they have seen, question relevant characters and cast their personal opinions on the issues. The results are then instantly tabulated. "Ain't You Gotta Right?" is a dramatic 16-screen video wall that details the struggle for civil rights in America. The Holocaust Section The latter half of the Museum's permanent installation presents the history of the Shoah, the Holocaust. Upon entering, visitors are asked to be witnesses - as if brought back to the scene of history's most terrible crime - in a timed tour that moves people from exhibit to exhibit to relive a decade of events in Germany from pre-World War II, through the rise and fall of the Third Reich, the horror of the "Final Solution," and liberation.
Each person receives a photo passport card of a child whose life was enmeshed in the events of the Holocaust. During the tour, the passport is updated, and at the end, the ultimate fate of the child is revealed. This section includes: "As the first museum ever to attempt to display human nature and Multimedia Learning Center "An assault on the mind ... the first museum of its kind in
Special Exhibits, Film and Lecture Series "It looks at a problem of the past and a challenge for the future."
For more information please call the Museum of Tolerance at (310) 553-8403 or visit www.museumoftolerance.com.
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