Illinois Holocaust Museum: Exhibits that Speak to the Children

The Illinois Holocaust Museum uses various exhibits to relate the messages learned from the Holocaust to other events that have happened or are happening today. These exhibits show how relevant what we have learned from the Holocaust is to life today.

One of the main missions of the Illinois Holocaust Museum is to empower us all to take a stand. The Make a Difference!: The Harvey L. Miller Family Youth Exhibition is specifically geared towards educating 8-11-year-olds. Even at such a young age, children are faced with difficult situations including bullying and prejudice. Through the use of media and hands-on learning, children are presented with situations where they have to act. In this manner, they learn how to handle bullying and prejudice. One particular activity requires kids to work together to put together a large puzzle to learn who is being left out at the lunch table. This activity teaches children how to work together to solve a problem. Another portion of the exhibit uses artifacts to introduce people who took a stand. The artifacts make the stories much more tangible to children. Overall, the use of multimedia and relatable situations truly speak to a younger audience. Additionally, the bright colors in the exhibit make it appealing, easily inviting exploration by children.

The Illinois Holocaust Museum also houses special exhibits that rotate from time to time. Currently, the special exhibit COURAGE: The Vision to End Segregation, The Guts to Fight for It profiles Reverend J.A. De Laine and the citizens of Clarendon County, South Carolina who bravely fought to end segregation in schools. Once again, multimedia features are used to bring this fight to life. This exhibit is one that the younger children (8-11-year-olds) can walk through as well. The stories of the children in Clarendon County and the differences in the separate schools will truly speak to children as they compare their own school experience. The artifacts displayed will also spark curiosity in the children and inspire them to learn about how they can make a difference themselves. The COURAGE exhibit will be on display through April 21, 2013.


While visiting the Museum, a stop at The Legacy Shop is a must. The shop has an unparalleled selection of  Holocaust literature to choose from. Just by perusing the books, I learned even more about the Holocaust. Additionally, the shop has quite a collection of beautiful jewelry as well as fairly traded items from artisans from other countries. I believe that Kat and I spent at least 20 minutes there. When you visit, do not forget to stop!

There are so many things to see, study, and read at the Illinois Holocaust Museum. The Museum is a true treasure that everyone should visit. If you missed our previous post, you can read more about the Museum at The Illinois Holocaust Museum: An Important Journey.

Here are some more details if you would like to visit: The Illinois Holocaust Museum is very easy to find. When preparing for your visit, we advise setting aside 3-4 hours. There is a lot to see! You will most likely want to bring a little snack with you. There is a cafe area in the basement of the building where you can have a snack and purchase items from vending machines. (You may not eat while within the exhibits.) You can leave your jacket in a coat room while exploring. You will need to go through security before entering the Museum. We found the staff to be friendly and willing to help answer questions about the exhibits. They were all very knowledgeable and will point you in the right direction!

The Illinois Holocaust Museum is easily accessible for us in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. It is located at 9603 Woods Dr in Skokie, Illinois. The Museum is open weekdays 10AM-5PM (until 8PM on Thursdays). It is also open 11AM-4PM on weekends. Admission costs $12 per adult, $8 per senior (65+) and students (12-22). Admission for children 5-11 is $6. (Tomorrow, we will discuss exhibits more appropriate for the younger children.)

**Disclosure: The Illinois Holocaust Museum so graciously provided us with admission to the Museum so that we could show our readers this great treasure. We received no compensation for this post.