Holocaust Museum LA

Holocaust Museum LA is the oldest survivor-founded Holocaust Museum in the United States. Its genesis dates to the 1960s, through a grass roots movement on the part of survivors who after settling in LA, met and discovered that each of them had a photograph, document, story, or personal item related to their experiences. They decided that these artifacts needed a permanent home where they could be displayed and stored safely and in perpetuity and used to educate future generations about the dangers of hate rhetoric and identity-based violence. They also planned for a place to memorialize their murdered loved ones, educate on the important lessons of history, and inspire a more humane world.

As the educational philosophy of the Museum is to educate through primary sources, the museum’s collection is a crucial element of the Museum’s mission and work. The collection is used to illustrate and teach this history, as well as sharpen analytical and critical thinking. The Museum is committed to the preservation, growth and development of the collection, and to supporting its use by scholars, teachers, students and the general public. As the largest collection of Holocaust related artifacts on the U.S. west coast, the Museum has a responsibility to preserve and protect the collection in a manner that assures its continued accessibility by future generations.
 

Holocaust Museum LA and its history are of paramount significance within the history of Los Angeles, not only due to the Museum’s status as the oldest survivor-founded Holocaust Museum in the U.S., but also because of the Museum’s profound connection to the LA community of Holocaust survivors. As a testament to the resilience and strength of survivors who found refuge and began anew here, the Museum is a living embodiment of their histories, struggles, and resilience.