Holocaust Museum - advice on kids
 

Our family of four is travelling to D.C. later this month and want to spend some time at the Holocaust Museum. Our kids are 12 and 10 and are Jewish. I understand that there is a separate children's exhibit that we will definitely want to tour but we are wondering whether there are other parts of the museum that are appropriate for the kids to see. While we don't want to overwhelm them with the horrors of that period, we don't want to overprotect them either. We do want them to understand their heritage.

Any advice from those of you who have been there would be greatly appreciated.

My kids at those ages learned from going to all of the exhibits.

I suggest you have them read Anne Frank to prepare them, if you have not already.

Go early in the AM to get your timed entry ticket.

Well, I think the answer to this question is "it depends." I have struggled with this question myself wondering when to bring my kids to this Museum. We live only about 1 1/2 hours from DC so we are fortunate to have flexibility in this decision.

We, too, are Jewish and have sons who are 12 and 15 years old. I went with our older son for the first time when he was 13 - he had read a lot about the Holocaust by this time and was studying WW2 at school at the time we went. It was a perfect time to take him and he probably could have gone a year or two earlier. My current 12 year old has not been yet, and I'm not sure that he is quite ready for the main tour. I would definitely bring him to the children's exhibit which I found very moving (in fact, as a mother, I was really torn up by the children's exhibit which is named "Daniel's Story." One of our sons is named Daniel and it felt very personal). Our 12 year old has also read and learned a lot about the Holocaust, but is quite sensitive to graphic images - he doesn't like violent or intense movies, for example - I believe he would be overwhelmed at this time, but is getting close to being ready. I will probably bring him in the next year or two.

However, there certainly were many kids there who were more in the 9 or 10 year old range. Some of the most graphic images are out of general scanning view and need to be approached and looked into - you could check out those sections before having the kids look. If this were my only chance to go, I might take 10 and 12 year olds, especially if they are fairly mature and informed and able to handle other difficult material. There are many worthwhile exhibits in the main museum that are fine for kids, but it is hard to pick and choose as you follow the path through the museum. I don't think there is a right or wrong here, just do what feels right for you and your kids.

I hope this gives you a bit of a feel so you can make your decision. Let me know if I can answer any other questions.

I would also suggest you have them read "Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry (the story of a 10 year old girl in Denmark whose family protects her Jewish friend's family and smuggles them out of the country) and rent the DVD called "Paper Clips". It is an excellent documentary about a Middle School in Tennessee. They were studying the Holocaust and decided to collect a paper clip to represent each person who died in the Holocaust. It is rated G and does not go into any graphic detail, but would be an excellent way to prepare your kids for the museum.

I would agree with fun4all4 that it depends on your kids. My kids have not been to the Holocaust Museum in DC yet (although we are planning a trip to DC in June and will take them then). However, we took our kids last March to an excellent Holocaust exhibit at the Imperial War Museum in London (they were 10 and 13) and they really got a lot out of it. I was amazed to see my 10 year old son sit and listen to all the videos of survivors telling stories, etc. However, he does not shy away from intense or violent movies such as the Lord of the Rings.

Again, I agree with fun4all4, if they are fairly mature and somewhat informed about the Holocaust, then if you are there I would take them.

First, my sincere thanks to all of you for your thoughtful and thorough responses. The tie that binds all of us parents is real--you clearly were trying to help us do the right thing by our children and I'm grateful for that.

Both kids have read both Anne Frank (independently) and Number the Stars (part of our schools' 4th grade curriculum). And my 12 year old son is fine with intense and violent movies (I regret to say...). So I think it sounds like we will give the main exhibit a shot knowing that we may need to do some "pre-screening (that info was very helpful). I also like the "Paper Clips" movie suggestion--knew about the project but didn't know about the movie. Would probably be a good prelude for the visit.

We are going on December 26th (flying down from Boston that morning) so I don't expect the crowds to be overwhelming. Hoping that we can just walk in. Am I crazy to think that?

We went to DC in June with my 10 year old. I am Jewish, my husband is Catholic, so my DD is 50/50. I was also concerned about the graphic nature of the Holocaust Museum due in part to the fact that we had already been there before she was born.

I had the Museum companion book. I think that really prepared her for some of the exhibits. We did not stop to watch any of the more graphic movies (experiments, etc.)

She was fine & she enjoyed it. She asked ALOT of questions. We did the Sanctuary and Daniel's story LAST. Sort of like a cool down period. We ate lunch beforehand.

First of all, the Jews weren't the only people the Nazis tried to exterminate. Going through the museum, you children will learn that Hitler exterminated and/or imprisoned gays, Jehovah Witnesses, gypsies, communists, and those who were mentally retarded. This is a big eye-opener for a lot of people.

The museum is overwhelming. I was there with two friends and we did not speak for the few hours that it took to tour the museum. However, I urge you to take your kids to the museum because every living persons duty to witness these atrocities of hate so that it never happens again.

No advice for kids, but you may want to pre-reserve your admittance time. We called the night prior for our reservation (they only allow a preset number of people in at once). Others who arrived at the same time were turned away or had to sign up to come back later.
Also, this may have changed, but there isn't any food avail. I recall bringing our own water. The line getting in may be slow due to security - be prepared to have all your items scanned.
Best of luck!

laurieb - The companion book sounds like a good idea. I will look into getting it when I bring my 12 year old.

marginal_margiela makes an excellent point. Many other people were persecuted by Hitler's regime, and the Museum does a good job of explaining and covering this crucial aspect of the persecution and genocide.

I also strongly agree that it was hard to talk during and after the visit and would recommend you plan some "downtime" for rest and reflection on the day of your visit. Perhaps a walk and lunch before heading off to something else to help with the transition.

we went to DC last year at the same time. There were no waits anywhere. My boys were 15 and 11 we took them to the Holocaust Museum they did fine. We are Jewish and they have been learing about it for years. it was actually way more emotional for me then for my kids.

As a senior...I remember reading Anne Frank as a teenager, going to camp with kids that had been rescued and had a friend that had been in a concentration camp...We have not been...and I'm ashamed, but I fear that I would be sobbing through the entire exhibit..One day.....Happy Hanakah

Yes, bethsmall and ParrotMom also make an important point to factor into the equation. I definitely believe it was way more emotional for me than it was for my son. I still think the images may be too intense for some (but not all) kids at that age, but in many ways it is really my own sensitivity that makes it difficult (but essential) to visit.

"Number the Stars" is a great suggestion. The museum is very well done. Some of the more graphic images are for "select viewing" and you can choose to look or not. On the other hand things like the piles of shoes were heartbreaking! There is a wonderful section on the Resistance which might well be something to speak with your kids about. There are photos of people and stories as well.

It's alot I have to say. We were there for 3 hours and could hardly even speak at the end.

I might start with the Children's section and see how they are doing. The Room of Rememberance is quite moving. Each of the "camps" has a section with candles lit(to my memory).

<""The museum is overwhelming. I was there with two friends and we did not speak for the few hours that it took to tour the museum. However, I urge you to take your kids to the museum because every living persons duty to witness these atrocities of hate so that it never happens again."">

I totally agree.

Hi, c. You can go online to tickets.com and reserve your tickets now. You'll still have to wait in the security line but it'll be faster once you get inside.

Have to tell you I cried the entire time I was there. Incredibly moving. Ultimately uplifting (b/c of the incredible human spirit) but some parts were pretty tough to handle. I was pleased that some things were positioned so that young children (younger than yours) could not see them.

Enjoy your entire visit to that great city! The kids should love the interactive exhibit at the Archives Museum...this kid did!

I've been several times as a former resident of DC. The museum is awesome and overwhelming. The kid's exhibit (Daniel's Story) is fantastic. I have to say that I had a very difficult time handling the museum from the starting point -- you get on an elevator and are given a passport of a real person who died during the holocaust. When you step off the elevator, you are immediately faced with the images of skeletal people right before their liberation. I am haunted by those images and reduced to tears every time. I think that is the one place where the images are very "in your face" and you won't be able to easily shield your kids if you wanted to. I agree with the previous posters that other disturbing images are thoughtfully designed to keep younger kids from seeing them without the assistance of an adult.

Obviously you know your kids best and will be able to gauge what they are handling and what they are getting emotional about as you move through the exhibits.

My son is only 18 mos., so I have a ways to go. But what a difficult thing to decide. . . .

It is the best museum I've ever been to, despite the emotional toll it takes on its visitors.

Have fun in DC.

I've been taking my children to the Holocaust commemoration places since early ages - maybe even before they went to school. You can see, if the kid gets quiet and stops asking questions, time to take him/her away.

I would also get my tickets ahead of time - thru either tickets.com or you can call direct, the number and other info is on their website

ushmm.org

also, there is a teacher guide on the website that you can download - it is for educators who are taking middle school students so it may apply well to your children and give you some ideas on the approach and discussion factors.

It is an emotional visit for all, but well worth it.
I would also agree on not crunching it in between things - you will need at least 2 hours, and a little downtime to take a deep breath afterwards and maybe discuss a bit - ie; if you go first thing in the morning, and can then break for a walk and then snack/lunch before moving on to something else.

Personally, I would prefer to do it earlier with kids, so it maybe isn't the last thing of the day so they have time to absorb it all and have the opportunity for discussion

Thanks for all of the great suggestions. I think we will take them to both the children's and the permanent exhibit but be cognizant of their emotions as we go through. I have already discussed with my husband the need for him not to have high expectations for their reaction. I think sometime we are so saddened and horrified by things that we think others should react the same way (tears, talk, etc.). Knowing our son, he will take it all in quietly and not have much of an outward reaction. We need to respect that and also remember that he may be more sensitive to it than his outward appearance my show.

I had planned to go here at the end of our first half day but am thinking twice about that. Might be better to do it the next morning so that there are other distractions throughout the day. I know they will be moved by the museum and it will have a lasting impact--but I don't want it to overshadow the rest of the trip.

Thanks all. I really appreciate your time and thoughtful responses.

Another book suggestion is Darkness over Denmark, which is an amazing account of how the Danes tried to protect their Jewish citizens. The book is targeted at middle school level. I can't read it without crying, especially the part about sending red cross buses across the border with the paint still wet when they got permission to retrieve the Danish Jews from concentration camps. Also, this book helps you focus on what different countries did during the war and where the ordinary heroes were. The "recommended" youngest age for the museum is 12. My concern is less that younger kids be traumatized and more that they would be "desensitized" if they're too young to understand. It is a very, very important museum and you want children to process it appropriately.

Here's an update now that we've visited the museum last week--and I truly appreciate all of the advice we were given.

Turned out that my enntire family chose to do the Holocaust Museum which was very special to me and my husband. We were travelling to DC to celebrate my parents' 75th birthdays so my little family thought we'd be visiting the museum on our own before the rest arrived. My family is Protestant and my husband is Jewish. I grew up in a very non-Jewish town and many of my husband's traditions and heritage are not known by my family thus I was surprised that they all really wanted to go.

We were given tickets by the concierge at the Mayflower which meant that making reservations was not necessary. We arrived around 10:30 a.m. and decided to try to do the full museum with both kids and to "bail out" if we thought it was too tough, especially for the 10 year old.

As we were about to enter the main museum and elevator, the male docent suggested that we all do "Daniel's Story" (the children's section) first. It was a good decision. Great overview of the rise of Nazism, the force to the Ghettos and then the concentration camps at a kids' level. Upon exiting the exhibit, our 10 year old said she didn't think she could go on. So I said she and I would stay back and encouraged the rest to continue.

After sitting on a bench for a couple of minutes (and realizing we had about 2 hours to kill), I asked my daughter what caused her to change her mind. She somehow indicated that she feared she wouldn't be able to handle it and couldn't leave. When I explained that we could leave at any time during the tour, she said she would try it and we rejoined our group.

As someone on this forum aptly put it, one of the most graphic and disturbing parts of the museum is when you exit the elevator when you first start the tour. The photo that is staight ahead of you is VERY graphic although sadly real. I could tell immediately it was not something our children needed to view to appreciate the history of their ancestors and so quickly ushered them to the side.

I personally thought, as did the rest of our Christian and Jewish group, that the museum was excellent and not too overwhelming. The history is devastating and heart-wrenching. But it is presented in a way that explains the history and focusses on human frailties and triumphs more than it is a constant barrage of carnage. There are three floors--one about the rise of Nazism, one about the Final Solution and one about the post-camp rebuilding. The Final Solution floor is devastating and there is one film that we did not allow my daughter to view (I didn't see it either as a result). Those who saw it said it was grisly (described the horrible experiments that the Nazis did on the Jews in the camps). But there is a high wall with many warning notes around it so you can easily avoid viewing it. We did, however, allow our daughter and son to view the diorama explaining the crematoriums.

While it was all very upsetting, I must say that we were glad the children saw it. And our daughter was very glad she had gone. She is a sweet, sensitive and family-centered girl who really wanted to know about her heritage and who connected a great deal with both Anne Frank and the girl in Number the Stars as she toured. She even chose to light a candle at the end in the area for Bergen Belsen victims as she remembered that was where Anne Frank had died.

Each person will differ in their reaction to this powerful museum. I am glad we went and took our children. It is not easy but it is history. And my teenage niece was sad to draw parallels between the way Germans treated Jews in the 30's with the way White America treated African Americans at the same time (without the concentration camps, of course).

I hope this info is helpful to others. I'd be happy to answer specific questions.

Thanks, ccrosner!

How long did it take you go to through the museum? I am planning an April trip to DC with my older son, who is 13. We tend to go things pretty quickly, but do not want to rush through. (And we will skip the more "graphic" stuff.

I have friends who go to a local synogagogue that recently had a presentation on Paper Clips - I didn't know the DVD was available - I'll be sure to rent it.

Hi,
Thanks for reporting back. It sounds like you handled everything perfectly and it was very worthwhile. How special that your larger family shared the experience with you.

You have given me the push to get my act together and bring my 12 year old. I think he is and would be good timing for him as he has done lots of reading about this period recently. Sometimes when you "only" live 1 1/2 hours away, it is harder to get away from daily life to see things than when you are on a big trip away.

Karens and fun4all--
Thanks for your nice words. Fun4all...I understand the bit about needing an extra push to do things when you live so close. We live 10 minutes outside downtown Boston and my kids still haven't toured the USS Constitution :) And with so much to see in DC, you almost need to make a week long trip of it.

KarenS...I would suggest you give the tour no less than 2 hours and probably closer to 2 1/2 or three. We did it in a little over two hours but never got to see some of the temporary exhibits in the basement and really went quickly through the final floor. The first floor you tour can get a bit bottlenecked (just the design of it, I guess) so you can't whip through too quickly.

Have a great trip!

ccrosner: thanks for your insightful and detailed report - I was away and wondering how it went for you and yours. It is certainly something your children will remember many times over as they go through life, school, reading, etc....

I know the original poster has already taken her trip, but for others who might read this thread, budget 4 hours for The Holocaust Museum. Honest. It does take that long. You will not want to rush through once you start. You will not feel much like doing anything else after you finish except maybe have a drink or go somewhere quiet. There is a room at the end of the museum for contemplation.

For children: You will do the museum more quickly and you should do Daniel's Story first. You also need to discuss with your children what they are going to see first--and you do need to prevent them from looking in the sheltered boxes where the information can be quite graphic.

I would not take children under 8 years old. My children did go with their Hebrew School class the first time and they were younger than 10 & 12. Obviously, it was discussed beforehand.

I describe the Holocaust Museum as the place we visit to sort of visit the tomb of those for whom there are no graves.

The European branch of my family--as with most Eastern European Jews--disappeared in the Holocaust. I do have a few relatives who survived. What I know of them is that some live in the interior of Russia and one immigrated to the US. They are all very distant cousins.