Remembering the Holocaust: Museums in a post-survivor world

What connects the Brigg Heritage Centre in North Lincolnshire, the Titanic Museum in Belfast, and the Guildford Museum in Surrey? Along with 86 other local and national museums and heritage centres, they all marked Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) this year.

In doing so, these institutions were not only honouring the memory of those who suffered in one of the darkest periods of human history but also seizing the occasion to educate and inspire future generations.

As we continue to face challenges related to intolerance and bigotry, the importance of commemorating the Holocaust and learning from genocide remains ever critical. Museums have a crucial role in educating the public and remembering the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

They also commemorate the millions killed in the Roma genocide, under Nazi persecution of other groups, and during more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur, and against the Yazidi people.

By marking HMD, museums engage their visitors in profound and meaningful ways, contributing to a broader understanding of these historical events and the need to build a better future. 

The fight against prejudice and intolerance is an ongoing struggle. As chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, I believe all museums stand as essential allies in this cause.

They offer an inclusive space where diverse communities can come together to learn from different narratives and perspectives. HMD is an opportunity for museum visitors to engage with content that is both deeply moving and thought-provoking, creating a memorable and impactful journey.

The Holocaust was a human tragedy, not just a Jewish one. Its lessons are therefore universal. This understanding drives the annual commemoration of HMD, where people from different backgrounds come together across the UK to reflect on the past and work towards a better future.

By marking HMD, museums instil a sense of responsibility in visitors to recognise and challenge prejudice and hate wherever they arise.

Thus, museums not only offer a unique space to confront the realities of the Holocaust, but each institution that marks HMD also contributes to a broader goal of ensuring that the horrors perpetrated by Nazis and their collaborators remain a powerful motivation to strive for a more tolerant world.

At the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, we know that Holocaust denial and distortion pose a significant threat to historical truth. Misconceptions and deliberate misinformation about the genocide undermine the lessons we must learn from it. As trusted public institutions, museums play a crucial role in countering these dangerous narratives.

Artefacts, such as personal belongings of prisoners, faded photographs of families, and relics of concentration camp life, serve as powerful tools in this mission. These items do more than illustrate historical facts; they provide a tangible connection to the past, making the horrors of the Holocaust profoundly real and personal for visitors.

Museums do not merely tell us what happened; they help us feel it. When a visitor stands before a pair of worn shoes that once belonged to a child who perished in a concentration camp, the scale and impact of the Holocaust becomes undeniable.

This emotional engagement is essential for education and remembrance, as it ensures that the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten and underscores the importance of preventing such atrocities in the future.

We encourage museums of all sizes across the UK to join us in ensuring the lessons of history are never forgotten. Our website offers a range of resources to help museums organise impactful HMD activities.

Olivia Marks-Woldman is the chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust