Washington, DC, United States
In Italy, the country where fascism was born, we have a particular relation with the Holocaust, but as a turning point in history, it belongs to everybody in the world. It is a part of humanity.
—Roberto Benigni (1952–), Academy Award–winning Italian actor, comedian, and filmmaker
Designed by Holocaust survivor and architect James Ingo Freed, the interior spaces of this structure and exhibits are created to be a “resonator of memory,” meaning that careful thought has been given so that the interior spaces allude to some aspect of the Holocaust, as uncomfortable, terrifying, and solemn as that is for visitors. This is not a sacred sanctuary in the usual sense but rather a haunting place that can deeply touch the spiritual core of those who visit. The museum optimizes the use of hard, cold, impersonal surfaces, spaces, and exhibits to unfold a narrative about our inhumanity to fellow human beings.
Whether you carry some darkness in your heart that blocks your spiritual light or vision, take time to visit the United States Memorial Holocaust Museum, for it has lessons for all of us on forgiveness, reconciliation, and redemption. Use the blue, orange, and silver metro lines to get to the museum located at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW. Walk west after getting off at the Smithsonian stop.
Give yourself time to process your feelings as you work your way through the exhibits. Be cognizant of the opposites of dark and light, despair and hope, for this double-sided Janus face is present throughout. Pray for the elimination of those things that cause division and aggression and intolerance in humanity. Pray for healing.
The priceless collections of Holocaust-related materials housed in the museum have been amassed from all over the world and organized into eight groupings.