(CLAIR) – The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum has opened a new exhibition called “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away.” This exhibit is produced by the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and Musealia, a Spanish exhibition production company. It features over 700 original artifacts, including personal belongings of victims, camp structures, and audio-visual materials.
This exhibition aims to provide visitors with a better understanding of one of the darkest periods in human history, how such a place as Auschwitz came to be and about the atrocities that occurred there.
President Reagan, in a speech made in 1988, stressed the importance of remembering the Holocaust and its victims: “We must make sure that all humankind knows what this evil looks like and how it came to be. And when we truly know it for what it was, then and only then can we be sure that it will never come again.”
Among the artifacts on display are personal items belonging to both survivors and victims of Auschwitz, as well as structural elements of the camp. There are concrete fence posts from the Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp, and a gas mask used by the SS. The exhibit also includes an original Model 2 freight train car, used to deport victims to ghettos and extermination camps.
This exhibit is recommended for visitors aged 12 and up, as the visuals are emotionally intense at times. The organizers have taken care to ensure that there are no gratuitous depictions of violence and that visitors can explore and learn about the history as safely as possible.
The “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away” exhibit will be on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum from April 8 to September 4, 2023. This is the first time the exhibit has traveled to major cities worldwide. The library is honored to host such an important collection of artifacts.
Visitors are encouraged to plan their visit and book their tickets early to witness this extraordinary collection of exhibits.
