Museum of Tolerance

[libraryvixen]

I've been to the Museum before... twice actually. The first time I went was around the time it first opened.

I know that there's at least 3 levels to the museumL the ground/lobby floor with the gift shop and the replica of Anne Frank's Diary, the 2nd floor with artifacts and the 3rd floor where the Holocaust Walk/Interactive exibits are.

Back then, they had a dark tunnel about maybe 30 feet or so that curved to the right so when you walked through, you could se absolutely nothing. Once inside, there would be whispers of all sorts of racial slurs coming from everywhere. It was creepy. I beleive they also made a South Park based on the Museum of Tolerance where Cartman walked through a similar tunnel. I'm pretty sure the tunnel is no longer there.

There's a light up map of all the hate groups in the United States and propaganda depiciting various stereotypes of different ethnic peoples and religious in advertising and comics.

It's in the waiting area for the Holocaust Walk. The Holocaust is a self guided tour where you get to see how the movement of Hitler spread through Europe.

At the beginning of the tour, you get a plastic card with a picture of a child on it. In the middle of the tour, you swipe your card and you learn more about your child, their family, and the circumstances around them going to one of the camps.

In the first half of the tour, there are highlights on how Hitler came to power. It's interesting because one can see how others were buying into Hiltler's idea, as twisted as it was.

The second part of the tour deals with the Death Camps. Eventually you make your way to a sorting area similar to the ones the new arrivals saw. At the end of the tour, you sit in a Gassing Shower similar to the ones at the death camps and you also watch a video about the gas chamber while you're sitting on the benches. This is the end of the tour.

As you leave the gas chamber, you walk into a beautiful room filled with light and glass. It's called the Survivor's room. There are stories of people who rescued Jews and other persecuted persons and, of course, the survivors of the Holocaust. This is the room where you scan your card one last time and find out the fate of the child you carried around during the tour. You also get a printout of the information for your kid. I have been fortunate 2 times as my children have always survived. My travel companions have not been so lucky.

The 2nd floor artifacts room has a room dedicated to death camp artifacts. There is an actual bunk from one of the camps and a picture to show how people were packed in them. One of the things that has haunted me over the years is a pile of shoes. I kept thinking that people used to fill those shoes... and then I would get weepy. It also shows the strength of the human spirit in the crudely made musical instruments and other items.

There's an interactive computer lab chronicling the different periods of World War 2. In addition, there are also army uniforms from the different factions that fought in the war.

It's been a while since I've been to the Museum, so that's all I remember. When my child is maybe 10-11, I'll take her there. She's only 7 so we have a while to go.

The tour, for me, was emotionally draining. After each time I've gone on the tour, I've promply driven back to DL so I could just sit and watch happiness for a while. Hopefully you and your son have a happy place when you get done with the tour so you guys can just sit and refill your happy meters.