As part of the new core exhibit at the Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, we created two immersive theater experiences, seven projection mapped films, nineteen interactives and two linear media pieces.
The pivot of the museum happens in a sit-down immersive theater environment, which transitions the visitor
to the Humanity Gallery where stories featuring present day Upstanders demonstrate lessons
learned from the Holocaust and inspire action.
What makes HHC unique compared to other Holocaust museums is the seamless narrative that takes the visitor from the Holocaust section into the Humanity gallery in a coherent and lucid manner. A paradigm story of evil, the Holocaust also offers a rare glimpse into the behavior of the upstander. Those courageous and altruist individuals who dared to help victims even in the face of grave personal danger. The visitor is asked: “what was it about them, their character, their psyche, that made them behave in such a manner? Were they special? Did they possess special attributes? The exhibition then goes on an exploration of human virtues and character traits and their ultimate commonality within all of us. It exhorts the visitor to tap into this “upstander potential” alive in all of us, and to activate it in all manner of civil interaction.
The intention is that visitors will walk away with the understanding that choices they make have meaning beyond the confines of their own private lives. That actions-like words- may have far-reaching consequences. There is a powerful sense that every one of us have the qualities necessary to do the right thing even in difficult situations, and to become upstanders in all of our human interactions. Lessons learned in the exhibition become our inspiration, and upstanding behavior our aspiration.
Conceptual development and Media production by BJA and Winikur Productions. Exhibition co-designed with Jack Rouse Associates.
