United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Holocaust history museum and memorial near the National Mall, Washington, D.C., United States
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a history museum and memorial site near the National Mall in Washington. The three floors hold photographs, personal belongings, and testimonies that document life before, during, and after the persecution.
The museum opened in 1993 after years of planning and debate about how to remember the genocide. Architect James Ingo Freed designed the building to reflect the rupture in history that the Holocaust represents.
The museum stands on Raoul Wallenberg Place, the section of 15th Street SW renamed for the Swedish diplomat who saved Jews in Budapest. The Hall of Remembrance, a hexagonal hall at the building's centre, holds an eternal flame where visitors light candles. The Elie Wiesel Award has been given since 2011.
The museum opens daily except for a few holidays and admission is free. Visitors need a free timed pass for the permanent exhibition from March through August, available online in advance or at the door on the same day.
The Hall of Remembrance offers a quiet room where visitors can light a candle and spend time alone with their thoughts. This space follows no exhibition logic but invites pause after walking through the other floors.
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