Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is at 9603 Woods Dr. Dedicated to remembering the Holocaust and educating people about hatred and genocide, the eye-catching, 65,000-square-foot state-of-the-art museum is filled with both temporary and permanent multimedia displays and exhibits of historic clothing, books, documents and photographs that inspire visitors to use the lessons of the past to transform the future. One half of the museum is dark gray, the other half is white. The "Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition" begins in the dark wing where an introductory video explains the Holocaust and proceeds through rooms that detail increasing persecution by the Nazis.

The next series of exhibits describe the outbreak of World War II, the creation of Jewish ghettos and the 1942 Wannsee Conference during which the Nazi “Final Solution” was formulated. Between the museum's two wings is its centerpiece exhibit: an early 20th-century German railcar like the ones used to transport millions of Jews to concentration camps. Visitors then pass through the railcar to the lighter wing, which describes the war's end and tells the stories of liberation, immigration and renewal that followed. The cylindrical "Room of Remembrance" on the third floor houses a book containing the names of Holocaust victims, and the curving walls are painted with their first names written in English, Yiddish and Hebrew. A catwalk leads to the "Hall of Reflection", a brightly lit, airy space with 12 seats representing the tribes of Israel.

The “Abe & Ida Cooper Survivor Stories" holographic theater allows guests to talk to a 3D interactive hologram of a Holocaust Survivor and ask questions about their life and survival. The “Zev and Shifra Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition” offers visitors the opportunity to explore pre-war European life, ghettos and concentration camps, liberation and resettlement around the world through more than 500 artifacts, documents and photographs.

For families, both the interactive "Make a Difference! Harvey L. Miller Youth Exhibition" and "Take a Stand Center" are designed for children ages 8 to 12. Engaging, rotating exhibits guide visitors through contemporary social justice issues, empowering guests with knowledge and tools to stand against hatred in all of its forms. Special programs are offered throughout the year.

Guided tours are available. Time: Allow 2 hours, 30 minutes minimum.