Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on November 1, 2022.
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The Holocaust Center has relocated to Chatham University. As of now, the exhibit space is not open. We will update once we hear more information!
Did you know that the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh has a small museum space inside featuring a few permanent and seasonal exhibits?
While you may only require a quick stop at this one, the displays and exhibits offer a valuable insight into the history of the Holocaust.
A Small Museum Exhibit at the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh
The exhibits at the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh are quite small but offer a poignant look into a history everyone should never forget.
A few of the more notable displays here include a feature into The Butterfly Project, an international art project aimed at installing 1,500,000 butterflies around the world to memorialize the children lost during the Holocaust, the names of local families affected during the events of WWII, and a piece of art made by local students after the Tree of Life Shooting in 2018.
I took a special interest in The Butterfly Project installation not only for its symbolism represented in the piece but also because I was told you can also find many butterflies around area libraries as well. So next time you are out in a public library, be on the lookout for these too.
In early 2020, the center had a temporary exhibit (running through the end of the school year) entitled “For You Were Strangers”. This multi-panel exhibit looked at the migration of the Jewish people into America, specifically into Pittsburgh, from the mid-1800s to the early 1990s.
Some panels go over key events in history that affected the Jewish population in Europe, and others summarize changes to immigration policy in the United States. This all comes together for a really in-depth look at the migration of a single population into the region and some of the who, what, where, and why's for how it all happened. Some of these are obvious from history and others less so and is quite informative to read about.
Annual Events to Keep in Mind
While a visit to The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh can be relatively quick (it is more or less a two-room space, after all), those looking to participate further should be aware of a few events that take place each year.
These are for Kristallnacht (November 9th-10th) and Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah- dates vary based on the Jewish calendar in the spring). These two events are important memorials of the Holocaust and are the larger functions put on by the Holocaust Center for the community to join together in learning and reflection. Likewise, the center runs many smaller events throughout the year as well. More information about these can be found on the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh's event page.
Overall, the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh has a small museum space with exhibits highlighting a devastating part of history. Still, this history is important for all to learn and remember, and is worth a quick stop if you can make it to Greenfield during their limited opening hours.
The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh was located at 826 Hazelwood Avenue in Greenfield and is now located at Chatham University. The exhibit is currently not open yet and we will update once it is open again.