America's Next Generation of Holocaust Museums Breaks Ground in Dallas

Led by local Holocaust survivors and the Mayor of Dallas, the Dallas Holocaust Museum broke ground today on a new, iconic 51,000 square-foot museum in downtown Dallas, realizing a 40-year dream that will teach and inspire new generations to advance human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference.

Scheduled to open in the summer of 2019, the new state-of-the-art facility will be called the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and will be unique among the nation's 21 Holocaust-related museums with an expanded examination of the Holocaust featuring dozens of video testimonies from Dallas area survivors, along with new, in-depth technology-enriched exhibits on other genocides, human rights issues, and American ideals.  

Construction will commence immediately on the new museum, at 300 N. Houston Street in Dallas' historic West End district, which will quadruple its current size, accommodate more than double the number of current visitors—half of whom will be school students—and feature a Cinemark XD 250-seat theater, two classrooms, a temperature-controlled library and archive, and a special reflection and memorial area for visitors over three floors.

Given the increase in global, national, and local incidents of terrorist attacks, anti-Semitism, hate speech, and hate crimes, the creation of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum has never been more critical or relevant.

"Today is an important day for Dallas as we break ground on the new Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum," said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. "The museum shows what Dallas is all about—diversity, equal opportunity, and respect for others."

"The new museum will allow us to serve more students, teachers, and visitors than ever before," said Florence Shapiro, Board Chair.   

OMNIPLAN Architects of Dallas designed the new building; Berenbaum Jacobs Associates, under the stewardship of Michael Berenbaum, the former Project Director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, is designing the permanent exhibition; general contractor is Austin Commercial.

About the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights MuseumThe mission of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is to teach the history of the Holocaust and advance human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference. More information at DallasHolocaustMuseum.org.

Dallas Holocaust Museum Hope for Humanity Dinner

Dallas Holocaust Museum

2013 Hope for Humanity Dinner

Fairmont Hotel

Reception 6 p.m.

Dinner 7 p.m.

Father Patrick Desbois, President of the Yahad-In Unum Association, will be the keynote speaker.   Father Desbois has devoted his life to confronting anti-Semitism and furthering Catholic-Jewish understanding. He is focused on preserving the memory of Ukraine’s former Jewish community and to advance understanding of the crimes committed during the Holocaust. To date, his organization has identified 800 of the estimated 2,000 sites of mass burial.

The 2013 Hope for Humanity Award annual dinner will honor local Dallas-Fort Worth Holocaust Survivors—several of whom still regularly speak at the Dallas Holocaust Museum to bear witness to the Holocaust. Other survivors visit schools and churches to tell their stories. Their lives continue to serve as beacons for hope.

Individual tickets are $350 (limited availability). Table prices begin at $3,500. For further information, please contact Development Director Kim Overs at 214-741-7500.

Hope for Humanity Honoring Roger Staubach

Thursday, November 11
The Fairmont Hotel

Join the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance at this year's Hope For Humanity Dinner, themed "L'Dor V'Dor (from generation to generation), honoring Roger Staubach for his community service with children. A cocktail reception will begin at 6 p.m., and the dinner will commence at 7 p.m. Staubach will be the recipient of the 2010 Hope for Humanity Award from the Dallas Holocaust Museum.

Contact: info@dallasholocaustmuseum.org

The Limelight: The Dallas Holocaust Museum

The Dallas Holocaust Museum is located downtown Dallas on North Record Street in the historic West End district. The museum is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust in an effort to teaching morality and the ethical response to "prejudice, hatred, and indifference for the benefit of humanity."
Just this past year, the museum hosted more than 40,000 students and over 15,000 walk-in visitors. The Dallas Holocaust Museum has been catering to more and more visitors each year and is in the process of expanding into a larger facility on the North-west corner of Houston and Pacific Streets.

Plan your visit and learn more about ways to support the museum here.