Is the Virginia Holocaust Museum free?

Admission is free for children, students, museum members, and active military. Adults 18 and older pay $10. Free off-street parking is available directly across from the museum on East Cary Street.

What are the Virginia Holocaust Museum hours?

The Virginia Holocaust Museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday through Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM. The museum is closed on New Year's Day, Easter, the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the first day of Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve.

Where is the Virginia Holocaust Museum located?

The Virginia Holocaust Museum is located at 2000 East Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23223, in Richmond's historic Shockoe Bottom neighborhood. Free off-street parking is available directly across from the museum.

Who founded the Virginia Holocaust Museum?

The Virginia Holocaust Museum was founded in 1997 by Mark Fetter, Jay Ipson, and Al Rosenbaum. Jay Ipson, one of Richmond's youngest Holocaust survivors, was central to the museum's founding and served as its long-time Executive Director. The museum opened at its current location on Yom HaShoah in 2003.

What makes the Virginia Holocaust Museum unique?

The Virginia Holocaust Museum tells the story of the Holocaust through the experiences of survivors who came to Virginia and rebuilt their lives here. This Virginia-centered lens weaves local survivor stories throughout every exhibit. The museum is housed in an 1899 former American Tobacco Company warehouse in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom.

Does the Virginia Holocaust Museum offer educational programs for schools?

Yes. The Virginia Holocaust Museum offers teacher workshops, the Alexander Lebenstein Teacher Education Institute in partnership with Longwood University, the Butterfly Project for grades 4–12, a Bus Scholarship Program, speaker requests, and a Law Enforcement Workshop.

Can I tour the Virginia Holocaust Museum virtually?

Yes. The Virginia Holocaust Museum offers a virtual museum tour at vaholocaust.org/virtual-museum-tour/ and provides access to oral histories, photographs, and documents through its online Collections Department.

How do I book a group tour at the Virginia Holocaust Museum?

Group tours can be arranged through vaholocaust.org/group-tours/. Contact the museum at (804) 257-5400 for scheduling.

Does the Virginia Holocaust Museum have a research library?

Yes. The Carole Weinstein Holocaust Research Library holds more than 5,000 volumes. The Collections Department holds over 300 individual collections including objects, artwork, photographs, and documents from survivors and witnesses. The Barbara and Fred Kort Foundation Reading Room is open to the public.

What will I see at the Virginia Holocaust Museum?

The Museum features permanent exhibits chronicling the history of the Holocaust, woven with the personal stories of survivors who came to Virginia. Highlights include an authentic freight car used during the Third Reich, a full recreation of the Nuremberg Courtroom, Dimensions in Testimony interactive conversations with Holocaust survivors, and over 300 artifacts, photographs, and documents from survivors, liberators, and witnesses.

What makes the Virginia Holocaust Museum different from other Holocaust museums?

The Virginia Holocaust Museum tells the story of the Holocaust through a uniquely Virginia-centered lens. Every exhibit is woven with the stories of Holocaust survivors who came to Virginia after the war and rebuilt their lives here. Founded in 1997 by Holocaust survivor Jay Ipson and co-founders Mark Fetter and Al Rosenbaum, the Museum is housed in an 1899 former American Tobacco Company warehouse in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom.

Is the Virginia Holocaust Museum appropriate for children?

The museum’s content is powerful and can be emotionally challenging. Many families and educators find it most appropriate for older children and teens. We encourage adults to consider the maturity level of younger visitors and to be prepared for conversation and questions after the visit.

Is the Virginia Holocaust Museum accessible for visitors with disabilities?

Yes. The Museum features accessible parking, accessible entrances, and accessible facilities throughout. For specific accessibility questions please call (804) 257-5400.

How can I support the Virginia Holocaust Museum?

You can support the Virginia Holocaust Museum by becoming a member for free admission and year-round support, making a donation to fund exhibits and educational programs, volunteering or becoming a docent, or renting the museum's spaces for events. Visit vaholocaust.org/support-holocaust-education for more information.

What is Dimensions in Testimony?

Dimensions in Testimony is an interactive theater experience created by the USC Shoah Foundation that allows visitors to engage with recorded testimony from Holocaust survivors and a U.S. Army liberator. Using advanced technology, visitors can ask questions and receive responses based on thousands of recorded interviews.

Can I actually talk to a Holocaust survivor through Dimensions in Testimony?

While the survivors are not physically present, Dimensions in Testimony creates the experience of a conversation by allowing visitors to ask questions and hear responses in the survivor's own voice. Each response comes directly from recorded testimony.

How does Dimensions in Testimony work?

Before filming, each participant completed extensive interview sessions, answering thousands of questions about their life experiences. During your visit, voice-recognition technology identifies your question and selects the most relevant recorded response from the survivor's testimony.

Who is featured in the Virginia Holocaust Museum's Dimensions in Testimony Theater?

The Virginia Holocaust Museum's Dimensions in Testimony Theater features four Holocaust survivors and one U.S. Army liberator: Pinchas Gutter, Halina Zimm, Eva Kor, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, and Alan Moskin.

How long does the Dimensions in Testimony experience last?

The experience lasts approximately 30–45 minutes.

Do I need a separate ticket for Dimensions in Testimony?

No. Dimensions in Testimony is included with regular Museum admission.

Do I need a reservation for Dimensions in Testimony?

Yes. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Visitors can reserve seats at the Guest Services Desk when they arrive at the Museum.

What time are Dimensions in Testimony presentations offered?

Presentations are offered daily on the hour from 11:00 AM through 3:00 PM.

Is Dimensions in Testimony appropriate for students?

Yes. Dimensions in Testimony is a powerful educational experience for middle school students, high school students, college groups, and adult visitors. It provides a meaningful opportunity to learn directly from firsthand survivor testimony.

Why is Dimensions in Testimony important?

As Holocaust survivors become fewer in number, preserving their voices is essential. Dimensions in Testimony ensures that future generations can continue learning from survivors' experiences and understanding the human impact of the Holocaust.

How is Dimensions in Testimony different from watching a documentary?

Unlike a traditional film, Dimensions in Testimony allows visitors to guide the conversation by asking questions. Each visitor's experience is different because the questions shape the testimony they hear.

How often does the Virginia Holocaust Museum feature new special exhibits?

The Virginia Holocaust Museum strives to present at least two new special exhibitions each year, although the number varies depending on exhibit availability and scheduling.

Are special exhibits included with museum admission?

Yes. All special exhibitions are included with regular museum admission.

Are special exhibits appropriate for children and families?

Most special exhibitions are appropriate for families and older children, although content varies by exhibition. Visitors are encouraged to review the exhibit description or contact the museum with questions.

How long does it take to view a special exhibit?

Most visitors spend between 15 and 30 minutes exploring a special exhibition.

Where are special exhibits located?

Beginning in 2026, special exhibitions are presented in the Museum's Second Floor Gallery.

Will the current special exhibit still be on display during my visit?

Special exhibitions are available for a limited time. Please check this page before your visit to see what exhibition is currently on display.

Past Special Exhibits | Virginia Holocaust Museum

HALT! REMEMBERING THE HOLOCAUST

By G. Roy Levin

April – October 2023

While teaching at Goddard College in 1980, G. Roy Levin received a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities to interview documentary filmmakers. During that research, he encountered Shoah, Claude Lanzmann's landmark documentary, which inspired a body of work exploring Holocaust memory.

Levin first created colorful paintings on discarded fruit and vegetable crates, wire, and unframed canvases. He later shifted to black-and-white images painted on wooden crates, evoking the railroad cars that transported victims to Nazi concentration and extermination camps.

Rather than depicting the Holocaust directly, Levin sought to spark the viewer's imagination and invite reflection. The shimmering quality of light in his work encourages remembrance as an act of empathy and compassion for those who endured unimaginable suffering.

PICTURES OF RESISTANCE: THE WARTIME PHOTOGRAPHS OF JEWISH PARTISAN FAYE SCHULMAN

By the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation (JPEF)

January 9 – March 31, 2023

Born in Poland in 1924, Faye Schulman received her first camera from her brother at age 13. That camera ultimately saved her life and enabled her to document the lives of Jewish partisans during World War II, making her one of the only known Jewish partisan photographers.

Schulman’s extraordinary photographs capture the courage, resilience, loss, and camaraderie of the Jewish and non-Jewish partisans who resisted the Nazis and their collaborators. Produced by the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation (JPEF) and curated by Jill Vexler, Ph.D., this traveling exhibition offers visitors a rare and deeply personal perspective on resistance, survival, and the power of documenting history.

THERE’S JUST US

By Alec R. Hosterman

July 18 – December 30, 2022

Created to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, There’s Just Us features photographs by Alec R. Hosterman, who documented the events of August 11 and 12, 2017.

Hosterman’s powerful images capture the courage of individuals and communities who stood together against hate and bigotry. The exhibition explores the importance of speaking out against intolerance while honoring those whose voices were silenced, reminding us that the work of building a more just, inclusive, and compassionate society belongs to all of us.

HUMILITY: WORKS BY MOLLY ROBINSON

By Molly Robinson

November 2021 – March 2022

As a high school student, artist Molly Robinson was encouraged by her art teacher to create work rooted in personal reflection. After witnessing the effects of social conflict during travels to Kenya, Tanzania, and Togo, she was inspired to explore how human rights violations shape personal identity.

The result was Humility, a vibrant collection of mixed-media works examining themes of human rights, social justice, conflict, and the resilience of the human spirit.

VIOLINS OF HOPE

By Amnon & Avshalom Weinstein

August 4 – October 24, 2021

Violins of Hope is a traveling exhibition featuring restored Holocaust-era instruments that inspire meaningful conversations about remembrance, resilience, and hope. During its first appearance in the Mid-Atlantic region, the Virginia Holocaust Museum displayed seven instruments from a collection of more than 60 restored by master violin makers Amnon Weinstein and his son, Avshalom, in Tel Aviv.

After losing more than 400 family members in the Holocaust, Amnon Weinstein dedicated his life to locating and restoring violins once played by Jewish musicians. Through these remarkable instruments, Violins of Hope preserves their stories, ensuring that their music—and the legacy of those who played them—continue to be heard.

STATE OF DECEPTION

May 1 – December 30, 2019

State of Deception explored how the Nazi Party transformed from a small extremist movement into the largest political party in democratic Germany following World War I. Through propaganda, intimidation, and carefully crafted visual symbols, Adolf Hitler built mass support and consolidated power.

By adapting the ancient swastika and combining it with the colors red, black, and white, Hitler created a powerful visual identity that became synonymous with the Nazi regime. The exhibition revealed how propaganda and symbolism manipulated public opinion and advanced one of history's most destructive ideologies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are past special exhibits at the Virginia Holocaust Museum?

Past special exhibits are temporary exhibitions previously presented by the Virginia Holocaust Museum exploring Holocaust history, remembrance, art, human rights, and related topics.

How far back do the museum's past exhibits go?

The Virginia Holocaust Museum has showcased special exhibitions since 2005.

Can I still visit past special exhibits?

Past special exhibits are no longer on display, but this archive provides an overview of previous exhibitions and the stories they shared.

How often does the Virginia Holocaust Museum create new special exhibits?

The Museum strives to present new special exhibitions throughout the year, depending on availability, partnerships, and scheduling.