The Prime Minister's National Holocaust Commission met for the first time on Holocaust Memorial Day this year, with the promise to find a suitable memorial or commemoration to the Holocaust in the UK. Drawing on both professional and public opinions - you can have your say
here - they aim to create a lasting, educational memorial that will be appreciated and understood by many future generations.
People have asked me, however, what is already available in the UK in terms of information, memorialisation and education about the Holocaust. The following, therefore, lists sites and memorials that are open to the public. All information on these is either from my own knowledge or on the respective websites, which should mean that it is all correct at the time of publishing this blog.
The Holocaust Exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, London (CLOSED UNTIL JULY 2014)
This is a fantastic exhibition, displayed across three floors, that begins with the Nazis' rise to power and ends at the liberation of the concentration camps. Video and audio testimony from Holocaust survivors can be accessed alongside very moving exhibits, such as a cart used to transport bodies in the Warsaw Ghetto and shoes from victims of the Auschwitz and Majdanek camps. You will leave the exhibition feeling humbled, saddened and, perhaps, hopeful for the future. Allow at least 90 minutes to walk around; you can always make it part of a day trip to the Museum, however, once it's reopened to the public.
Children under the age of 11 are not allowed in the exhibition; children between 11-14 may be accompanied by an adult, but are not recommended to visit.
Cost: Free
Website: www.iwm.org.uk
The National Holocaust Centre and Museum, Newark, Nottinghamshire
Founded in 1995, The Holocaust Centre - originally known as 'Beth Shalom', Hebrew for 'The House of Peace' - is the oldest centre for Holocaust education in the UK. Unfortunately, I have not yet been there myself, but I have been told of the Centre's specific focus on education about the Holocaust and other 20th-century genocides, much of it aimed at children, as 60% of the Centre's visitors are under 16. The Holocaust Exhibition covers pre-war Jewish life, National Socialism, ghettos and concentration camps and survival after liberation. Guest speakers, including Holocaust survivors, give talks at the Centre regularly, and the beautiful location of the Centre allows for quiet reflection in its outdoor rose gardens. Due to the Museum's location, at least half a day is suggested for a visit.
Cost: Adults £8, Concessions £7, Family ticket £25
Website: www.holocaustcentre.net
The Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide, Russell Square, London
I have got to know the Wiener Library very well, as the past year's seminars for my degree have been taught in one of its seminar rooms. The Library houses an incredible collection of books, pamphlets, microfilms, photographs and documents relating to the Nazi era, the Holocaust and genocide. If you are looking to undertake research into this period of history, or would like to be able to examine archives from the time, there is no better place to visit in the UK than the Library. Small exhibitions are also held in the reception area, and talks, film screenings and discussions take place throughout the year, most of which are open to the public.
Cost: Free, but anyone wishing to borrow books will need to pay a membership fee
Website: www.wienerlibrary.co.uk
Holocaust Memorial Garden, Hyde Park, London
Given the size of Hyde Park and how secluded this memorial is, you would be forgiven for missing it. Tucked away behind some trees is London's Holocaust Memorial; two large boulders with one bearing a biblical inscription. It gives the visitor a chance to pause and reflect in the heart of a busy city, and explore a quieter area of the park.
Cost: Free
Website: http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park
If you know of any other smaller sites of Holocaust education and memorialisation in the UK, please do let me know. Alternatively, if you would like me to seek out similar sites in other countries, I will also see what I can find.
