“I just hope we can expand.” The late Museum Benefactor Janet G. Cohen said those words during the ceremonial “Demolition Day” when construction began in 2018 on the Museum’s new permanent home. This was a long-awaited dream that her generous gift to our first Capital Campaign made possible. Janet cared deeply about children and felt that the Museum’s work to educate students about the lessons of the Holocaust was extremely important.

Herbert H. Schiff Classroom Rendering; Photo courtesy of David Corban, Architect. 

Janet’s wish has now become a reality. On Saturday, November 4, the award-winning Museum will re-open to the public with a new North Wing. The nearly year-long expansion project converted the space from two adjacent office suites we purchased into another 3,600 square feet for Museum use. The North Wing features three large new Galleries – the Auschwitz Gallery, the Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery for Special Exhibits, and the Shelley and Steven Einhorn Genocide Gallery; the new Herbert H. Schiff Classroom which allows us to serve larger size school groups and community meetings; and Education Department offices.

We are excited to welcome the public to attend these special Grand Re-Opening programs:

Students look through a display case. Photo courtesy of The Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

• Saturday, November 4 will be "Family Day", with a special children's program starting at 12:15pm, and regular admission from 1:00pm - 4:00pm with face painting, crafts, and story-telling. We recommend reservations as space is limited - please RSVP at hmcec.org
• Saturday, November 11 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm, Complimentary Museum Admission with last guests admitted at 3:00pm. Reservations are required - please RSVP at hmcec.org
• Saturday, November 11 at 2:00pm, join us for a special Veterans Day program, featuring a discussion with Heinz Wartski, Holocaust Survivor and Korean War Veteran. No reservations are required.

Prior to re-opening, Volunteers and Docents toured the newly-completed North Wing and updated displays in the main Museum. They also tried out the state-of-the-art information kiosks in the new Galleries, saw the new Forgeries and the Holocaust special exhibit in the Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery, and explored the amenities in the new Herbert H. Schiff Classroom.

Joan Hogan is the Marketing & Communications Manager for the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center.