The exhibit's reopening represents a crucial milestone in the Center’s transformation and refurbishment project, which was funded to the tune of $31m. The reopening was scheduled to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27.
According to Ruth Bergman, the center’s director of education and a member of the team responsible for putting the updated exhibit together, the goal of the exhibits is to tell stories using the most relevant data, ensuring it is not from the view of the perpetrators. Printing services are often used to put together large exhibits.
Eli Mayerfeld, the center’s CEO, explained:
“The greatest differentiating factor between the original and the new exhibit is the centering of the voices of those who experienced the Holocaust. Throughout the exhibit, visitors will hear the personal stories of those who survived the Holocaust and rebuilt their lives in Michigan after the war.”
Mayerfeld stated that the decision to conduct this substantial renovation stems from the Holocaust Center's acknowledgment of how important it is to make sure the experiences and tales of Holocaust survivors are available for later generations.