Florida Holocaust Museum To Close For Expansion Project

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg will temporarily close for renovations starting July 22.

The museum will reopen once the expansion project is complete, which is expected early next year, FHM said in a news release.

Once complete, the expanded gallery will include space for the Danish rescue boat, Thor, which will arrive at the Museum this Fall, and will accommodate even more of the Museum’s 22,000 artifacts.

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The renovations will all FHM to “focus on a more visitor-centered experience,” the news release said. It will include a new entrance with enhanced security features, an open-air second-story balcony and a temporary installation housing elements of the Elie Wiesel collection. The full Elie Wiesel exhibit will come in a later phase of the museum’s building projects.

“The museum may be closing temporarily, but that won’t stop us from continuing to deliver our mission to the world,” Michael Igel, interim CEO and chair emeritus, said. “As disturbing antisemitism continues to plague our communities, on behalf of all Holocaust victims and survivors, we can’t afford to pause our work in confronting this plague with passion and education. We will be out in the community more than ever, helping people of all ages benefit from the lessons of the Holocaust. Thank you to all the members, donors, and elected officials who make all of this possible.”

During the closure, the museum will continue to serve as a resource for the community. Its virtual library and educator resources will continue to be available at www.thefhm.org, and Teaching Trunks will continue to be deployed at schools across the country. The Museum will also host docent-led virtual tours and self-led virtual tours throughout the closure, and the Speakers Bureau will remain open.