The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
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Title
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The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
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Description
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The United States Holocaust Memorial and Museum, located in Washington, D.C. was designed by architect James Ingo Freed. The 90 million dollar building is a memorial intended to remember the events of the holocaust, and the 6 million Jews who lost their lives. The museum was first commissioned in 1979 and opened to the public in 1993. Freed did not intend for the architecture of the building to be based off of any specific places or events, but instead wanted to allude to the history as a whole through the use of abstract forms. Because the architecture is based broadly on the history of the holocaust, the accompanied meaning is up for interpretation. This allows the museum goer to have a unique experience as they enter and observe the museum. A memorial in the form of a museum is a somewhat unusual concept. The act of visiting a museum is a ritual in itself unlike the act of visiting a memorial. The reason museum going is a ritual is because every aspect of the design of the museum has a purpose. The museum goer observes each individual exhibit in a prescribed order, which is intended to evoke a certain emotional experience with each exhibit. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial and Museum could be considered a sacred place for Jews because of the specific experience it evokes. Jews share a history and culture that was greatly impacted by the events of the holocaust in some shape or form. The United States Holocaust Memorial and Museum not only provides recalls the events of the holocaust, but also remembers a culture that was destroyed. The memorial creates an environment where Jews can feel connected to their ancestors, as well as each other, which is what makes it a sacred place.
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Creator
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James Ingo Freed
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Format
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Building
