The Making of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center
The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center (HHC) uses local survivor stories and a variety of interpretive techniques to ensure that lessons of the Holocaust inspire action today. The 7,500-square-foot Center is the only Holocaust museum in the United States with an authentic connection to its physical location – Union Terminal, where more than 1,000 survivors and refugees arrived by train to rebuild their lives in Cincinnati.
The exhibit design, concept, and project management of the museum represented a collective effort of the HHC staff, along with Berenbaum Jacobs Associates and JRA. The result is a multi-layered museum that incorporates innovative storytelling, first-person testimonials, interactive experiences, original artwork, and genuine artifacts to chronicle the courage, strength, and triumph of local survivors during one of the darkest chapters of human history. Throughout the museum, exhibits juxtapose “bystanders,” those who witnessed injustice and did nothing, with “upstanders,” those who risked their lives to save the lives of others.
In addition to its historical exhibits, HHC houses the Humanity Gallery, which showcases local individuals who have made positive changes in their community and beyond. Visitors have the opportunity to explore what they can do to become modern upstanders, taking action at both a local and global level on topics that affect citizens everywhere.
