Holocaust Museum Tour: Survivor Stories and VR Experience
5.0
22 Ratings
Skokie

Experience the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, a powerful attraction dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust and teaching universal lessons against hatred and indifference. Skip the line and explore history, inspiring you to make a difference.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center - Spanning 65,000 square feet, the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center stands as both a tribute to the families who suffered during the Holocaust and the countless others who were lost, as well as a place where the younger generation is educated about the severe consequences of bigotry and…
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What's Included
  • Self-guided audio tours
  • 3-D Holographic Survivor Stories Experience (reserve upon arrival)
  • The Journey Back Virtual Reality Experience (reserve upon arrival)
What's Not Included
  • None
Additional Information

Stories of hatred, prejudice, and inhumanity make headlines every day. The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center honors the memory of all who were killed during the Holocaust and inspires people of all ages to stand up for what’s right turning the powerful lessons of history into positive actions today.
Tour the Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition…

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Location
Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
9603 Woods Dr
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(22 Ratings)
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Tjpal86
Sep 22, 2024
Great place, eye opening - Great museum. The museum is much larger than I thought it would be. It's laid out in a way that it takes you through each phase of the holocaust as you work your way through. Each gallery was beautifully done, engaging, and very educational. The staff was very friendly. Would definitely go back
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kimberly
Aug 12, 2024
We all need to know this history - A sobering and important stop for me. Spent 4 hours learning about the Holocaust and the political and world environment that allowed this atrocity to happen. The museum offers a VR and a holographic experience that share survivors’ poignant stories. Judy, one of the many volunteers there, provided an excellent tour of the main displays. The Kinder Transport exhibit shows an example of what love in action looks like. Over 10,000 children were accepted into England and saved. A similar proposal to bring children to the US was scuttled by Congress. I want my country to be refuge for those who turn to us in time of great need. My hope is that through educational offerings like these we, as a caring and compassionate people, can prevent anything like this from happening again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rhondas_13
May 22, 2024
Excellent exhibits - I like to read everything, so two hours was not enough time here. I managed to get through the permanent exhibit but wasn't able to watch many of the videos. The exhibits do a very thorough job of explaining the Jewish culture during the 1930s as well as how attitudes and politics escalated throughout the war.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Illinoistravelere
Sep 19, 2022
in response to a question about dining options whilst visiting the Museum and Education Center.... - There is no cafeteria inside. There are vending machines in lower level with soft drinks, chocolate, snacks, etc. There are a number of good restaurants in the nearby Old Orchard mall. Simply keep your admission tickets and show them at the entrance when you return. Be sure to get back before 4:00 when the doors close. The museum is open till 5:00. Currently, masks encouraged but not required. See my earlier review (Ma 29, 2022) for more details, including the history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Illinoistravelere
May 29, 2022
Admission is free on the last Friday of every month in 2022. - I have been visiting the Holocaust Museum since its beginnings as a small store-front facility on Main Street in Skokie. I think it was a dentist's office before that. The original building is still standing and I marvel every time I drive by at the concept of "The Little Museum That Could" -- now the third largest holocaust museum in the world. Yes, you read that right -- in the world. Here's the back story: Neo-nazis attempted to march in Skokie in 1978 but were stopped by a last-minute court injunction. The attempted Skokie March galvanized a group of local Shoah survivors who knew that the strongest weapon against bigotry is education. They rented office space on Dempster and eventually moved into the Main Street location in 1984. School groups came to visit and a speakers bureau was established to reach those who couldn't visit in person. ' They raised funds for the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial which was erected in 1987 on the Village Green between the Skokie Public Library and the Village Hall. There are ashes from Auschwitz buried behind the monument. In 2009 the current state-of-the-art Museum building opened. All multimedia is captioned and resources are available for the visually impaired. Docent-led tours are available in four languages (Spanish, Russian, French, and Hebrew). For me, the highlight is the hologram exhibit, which is computer generated; is changed every month; and is included in the cost of your ticket. You will experience an interactive, 3-D survivor testimony. The schedule right now spotlights Pinchas Gutter till the end of May; Aaron Elster from June 1 - 30; and Renee Firestone from July 1-31. The amazing technology allows members of the audience to hear the survivors' stories and to ask them questions. (Pinchas Gutter will sing a song for you.) The last time I was there the volunteer docent rephrased some of the questions in order to include the correct trigger words. Museum admission is free on the last Friday of every month in 2022. See my earlier review (August 20, 2022) for more details.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bonnietuyls
Jul 15, 2021
Truths of the Holocaust as told by Survivors - I loved the hologram theater with Fritzi! She was such a genuine, loving, compassionate person. It was rather difficult to listen to all that she had to go through. I cannot imagine the fear that they all went through.
Review provided by Viator
Mia_e
Jun 27, 2021
A nice experience - It was a nice museum. We downloaded the app and had our headphones in listening. We learned a lot of stuff that we didn’t know before. Thank you for the experience.
Review provided by Viator
Taylor
Apr 22, 2021
Preserving the legacy of the Holocaust - In this day and age, when there are radicals or others who continue to deny that millions of Jews were killed by Nazi atrocities during World War II, I would highly recommend that anyone who still has doubts or has never been there before make a visit to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois. Located at 9603 Woods Drive in Chicago's near north suburb, off the Edens Expressway (I-94), near Old Orchard Shopping Center. its mission is to "Remember the Past" and "Transform the Future" while preserving the legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the memories of those were who lost and by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice and indifference. The museum, which was established in 1981 and opened at its current site in 2009, was established as a response to a Neo-Nazi group's attempt march through Skokie, where many Holocaust survivors had settled after the war. The Holocaust exhibition occupies the first floor while the upper floor contains the remembrance area with stories by Holocaust survivors and an art gallery. One of the most sobering objects in the museum is a railroad car, which was filled with Jews on their way to the death camps. The unique Take A Stand Center employs a new technology that allows visitors to interact with speaking holographic images of Holocaust survivors. One of the newest exhibits tells the life of the late Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. All very informative and thought-provoking.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tosl
Apr 6, 2021
Powerful museum on the Final Solution - Other than DC, this is the most powerful and comprehensive museum I have seen on the Holocaust outside of visiting the camps themselves. An easy 20-minute drive from Chicago, this should not be near the top of any itinerary, this should be the top site. Excellent job to the curator and staff - very moving.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Medhabhat
Jun 12, 2024
Overall very nice - The guide was very kind, as were all of the other people there. With the guide, it was very interactive and engaging. Our group was very happy with this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).