#209: The Museum of Tolerance

Photo from Wikipedia

The Museum of Tolerance in West L.A. is really two incredible museums in one. Your tour starts in the Holocaust Section, where a sound and light guided 70 minute dramatic presentation takes you through the events of Nazi-dominated Europe during WWII.  In the beginning, you pick up a card with a picture and bio of an actual Jewish child who was alive at the time of the war. Next, you watch a short video and then travel in a small group from exhibit to exhibit as a narrator explains the events unfolding.  

photo by http://museumoftolerance.blogspot.com/

The presentation is very moving, and I couldn't help but tear up.  The most memorable part for me was seeing actual video footage of the Nazis and the Jewish people during WWII.  I had read about the Holocaust in text books and had seen photographs of it, but this was the first time I saw actual video footage of it, and it was heart wrenching. 

photo by Yazdani Studio

After finishing the Holocaust Section, you get to explore the Tolerancenter, which confronts issues of bigotry and discrimination in the world today.  There are a lot of interesting hands on exhibits here, like the Point of View Diner:

Photo by http://museumoftolerance.blogspot.com/

The Point of View Diner is a recreation of a 1950's diner, red booths and all, that "serves" a menu of controversial topics on video jukeboxes. It uses the latest cutting edge technology to relay the overall message of personal responsibility. Scenarios focus on bullying, drunk driving and hate speech; this interactive exhibit allows visitors to input their opinions on what they have seen and question relevant characters. The results are then instantly tabulated. (~taken from MoT website)


Tips for your visit:

• Museum admission is $15.50 for adults, with a discount for seniors and students

• It is closed on Saturdays

• There is an underground garage that is free to park in.

• Security is tight. Be aware that your car trunk will be inspected before you enter the garage. In the lobby, your purse or bags must go through an X-ray machine and you must walk through a metal detector. 

• Be sure to check out the Hear a Holocaust Survivor lectures, which are free to museum visitors. The talks are 1 hour and are offered every day. Call the museum for times.  I didn't get to do this because we came too late, and it's something I definitely want to go back for.  

• Also check out the lectures in which you can Hear a Perpetrator and Victim Share Their Story and Hear a Former White Supremacist. These talks are also free to museum visitors. Click on the links for dates and times. 

• Photography is not allowed in the museum

The Museum of Tolerance