United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW beside the National Mall in Washington, DC, in the United States, is the country's national institution for documenting and teaching the history of the Holocaust. Opened in 1993, the building by architect James Ingo Freed uses brick, steel and stark geometry to evoke the atmosphere of the camps and ghettos. The Permanent Exhibition occupies three floors and is entered by elevator, with the story told chronologically from the Nazi rise to power, through persecution and the war years, to liberation. Artifacts include shoes from Majdanek, a railcar of the type used for deportations, and personal belongings, photographs and survivor testimony. The exhibition is not recommended for children under 11. Other areas include the Hall of Remembrance, a hexagonal memorial space for quiet reflection, and the Wexner Learning Center. Admission is free, but timed passes for the Permanent Exhibition are needed and should be booked at ushmm.org. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5:20pm, except Yom Kippur and December 25. A visit takes two to three hours, and many visitors spend longer. Photography is not allowed in the Permanent Exhibition, though it is permitted in some other areas. The first timed entry slot of the day is generally calmer, and weekdays outside school holidays see fewer visitors. The museum is a short walk from the Smithsonian Metro station.