City: Richmond, VA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (804) 257-5400

Address: 2000 E. Cary St.

Description: At once personal and universal, painful and profound, this museum engages visitors in a history of the Holocaust so that it can never be forgotten or repeated. Through its many dramatic and moving permanent exhibits, the museum tells the larger story of Nazi barbarity by drawing on the personal stories of many Virginians who were Holocaust survivors, liberators, or witnesses. There are many lives remembered here, but sadly too many did not survive the Nazis. One who did, museum founder and director Jay Ipson, narrates the 70-minute audio guide that takes you through the many exhibits. It’s a powerful thing to walk by stark reminders of the dark time with the voice of a victim in your ear, but as you follow his family’s story, you are reminded that his is the voice of a survivor.The museum is an interactive place that encourages visitors to walk in the shoes of those who endured so much. There is a ghetto to walk through, a cattle car to ride in, a hiding place to crawl through, and a reproduction of the Nuremberg courtroom to stand in. If you would prefer a docent-guided tour, please call in advance to arrange it. Because of the serious and graphic nature of the content of the museum, the museum recommends that children be at least 9 years old to visit. Open every day except for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, this museum has no admission charge, though donations are accepted.