The Holocaust Museum in Washington DC is one of the most well curated exhibits I have ever been to. The exhibit clearly laid out the events in chronological order, which visitors followed along during their path through the exhibit. These events were described through short but in depth pieces of texts, and were further illustrated through photography, video, and artifacts from the events. I personally believe that this method better engages the visitors into thinking about the events than a description of an artifact that most museum exhibits use. Furthermore, the museum is kept relatively dark and cool, which adds to the somber feel of the museum, and may be the only time that I have seen a museum employ the lighting or temperature as a method of storytelling.
Beyond the curatorship of the museum, the information provided is extremely sobering. The way in which the Holocaust was planned and carried out so meticulously along with the fact that the international community stood by and did nothing during many of these events makes the Holocaust even that much more atrocious. I also found the exhibit on Jewish people and refugees in America during the Holocaust depressing, as we are often told in history class that we prevented this atrocity from continuing, but in reality we stood idly by as much of it was carried out.
In my personal opinion the most telling and moving pieces in the exhibit was the collection of shoes. Shoes are a simple everyday item that people tend to lose track of, but they are also often used as a symbol for one’s journey and path in life. So to see so many of those stories come to such a brutal end and be placed in front of oneself is truly horrifying.