As the fourth largest museum of its kind in the United States, there’s a lot to see at the Holocaust Museum. The three floors of exhibitions include a Danish Rescue boat and German World War II Railcar; testimonies of Holocaust Survivors from the Houston area; an interactive multimedia zone featuring the diaries of Anne Frank and others; a gallery of artworks by survivor Samuel Bak; and a Human Rights Gallery. Among the most memorable exhibits is a 2-story mobile that hangs in the atrium, featuring 1,500 multi-colored acrylic butterflies—representing the 1.5 million children who died in the Holocaust.
The museum is located along Caroline street in Houston’s Museum District. The closest metro station is Museum District, a 5-minute walk away, and it’s easy to reach on foot from many of the nearby museums.
The museum is open daily with limited opening hours on Sunday (noon to 5pm). Entrance is free on Thursdays between 2 and 5pm, although expect large crowds if you choose to visit at this time. If you’re taking a night tour of Houston, it’s worth passing by after dark, when an LED ‘Beacon of Hope’ shines above the museum.
Home to 19 museums, galleries, and cultural centers, as well as the giant Hermann Park and Houston Zoo; the Museum District is one of Houston’s most popular districts. There’s a museum to suit all tastes—history buffs can visit the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum and the Houston Museum of African American Culture; art lovers can explore the Museum of Fine Arts and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston; while the interactive exhibits at the Health Museum and Children’s Museum of Houston are engaging for the whole family.