Obviously, this is a bit of a unique museum, in that you don't leave feeling good or upbeat. The museum focuses on a very sad moment in very recent world history.
I personally had a professor in college who left Germany with his family when he was about 6. He was Jewish and he told me about the things he actually witnessed. They left and came to the US before things really broke out. Sadly, once in the US, his family was hated for being German. He watched Germans beat his dad up for being Jewish, and he watched Americans beat his dad up for being German.
Through talking to witnesses and reading, I know a good deal about this point in history. What I saw at the museum was not a surprise to me personally, but it is always shocking.
While at the Holocaust museum, I was reading a display about some of the things that happened. Another person was reading the same display and gasped. I felt the same way when I first learned about this.
Before we started our tour, we watched a short film about victims and their liberators towards the end of WWII.
As we left the theater, I overheard some kids talking amongst themselves about how boring the movie was. I know, kids have short attention spans, but I still felt hurt about this. I hope parents that are taking their children to see something like this explain it to them, and work with them to make the most of their time at the museum.
And the museum was delicate about this. They do have exhibits for younger kids. One video area that was especially graphic was made to where you had to look over a tall fence to see the video. No small person would be able to see it.
There are a few exhibits here that stay with you. There are the shoes. Actual shoes taken from people before they were murdered.
There were stories of the hair shaved from the heads of the victims, sold and used like a product.
I will remember one photo in particular of a crying disabled child, taken moments before that child was murdered.
There was actual luggage packed for the relocation, by people unaware of what was about to happen to them.
I could go on and on.
Anyway, there are certain places you have to see in DC, and this is one of them. I would also make this a place that you must visit at some point in your lifetime.
http://www.ushmm.org/
Let me also put a mention in of the "Remember Me?" project the Museum is doing through their site. They have posted photos taken of affected by the Holocaust after the War. There are updates posted, when they occur. anyway, check it out as there are still mysteries surrounding these children.
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