Nationalmuseum Gripsholm Castle opens for the season

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, with museum representatives and Holocaust survivors, opens the doors to the new home of the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust located in Pan Pacific Park, on OCT 14, 2010. City officials, including City Council President Eric Garcetti, Councilmember Tom LaBonge, Assemblyman Michael Feuer and Supervisor Zev Yaroslovsky, are also participating in the opening ceremony.

“This new museum ensures that our city will continue to honor the memory of the Holocaust and be a community resource for anyone who wants to learn about it,” said Mark A. Rothman, museum executive director.

The museum, the oldest of its kind in the United States, is the only Los Angeles institution with free admission and a sole focus on the events of the Holocaust. The museum will teach approximately 40,000 students a year about the Holocaust.

The new building, designed by acclaimed architect Hagy Belzberg, has one of the largest green roofs in California and is on track to receive LEED Gold Certification. The design received the Los Angles Cultural Affairs Commission Design Honor Award and the Green Building Design Award. The architecture and layout plays a significant role in visitors’ experiences as the nine rooms descend and decrease in light as guests progress towards the darkest part of history. Technology functions as a tool to enhance the experience and takes several forms throughout the museum, including interactive video and audio exhibits.

The grand opening brings to a close a four-year process that included unanimous approval by the City Council and the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks and Recreation. The process also included the execution of a 50-year lease agreement by the City Attorney, along with years of structural planning and building and consultation with the community.

Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, 100 S. the Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036 in Pan Pacific Park. (323) 651-3704

www.lamoth.org

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