Contact: Sunny Mindel/Curt Ritter (212) 788-2958
The State has agreed to provide the land for the expansion of the Museum, which is located on the waterfront of Battery Park City at 18 First Place in Lower Manhattan. Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo & Associates, the architectural firm that designed the original 30,000 square-foot Museum building, will design the expansion. The remaining funds for the expansion will be provided through private contributions.
"I am pleased to announce that the City will provide $22 million to fund the expansion of the Museum of Jewish Heritage," Mayor Giuliani said. "First and foremost, I want to thank Governor Pataki for his continuing commitment to this Museum and his support of the expansion project. Since opening in 1997, the Museum has been a much visited and valued addition to New York City's cultural and educational life and this expansion is an integral part of the continuing education of our City. The Museum's exhibits preserve the images and artifacts of one of the most tragic periods in history, ensuring that future generations will never forget the painful lessons of the Holocaust. I want to thank and congratulate the many people who helped make the expansion of the Museum a reality, including Robert Morgenthau, Peter Vallone, George Klein and Howard Rubenstein ."
Governor Pataki said Battery Park City will donate land to the Museum of Jewish Heritage for its planned expansion.
"The expansion of the Museum of Jewish Heritage is yet another important component of the cultural and economic renaissance that is occurring Downtown, and in particular, in Battery Park City," Governor Pataki said. "Since the Museum's opening in 1997, thousands of visitors have come to Battery Park City to view the Museum's exhibits and reflect upon the Holocaust and the tragic history that led to it.
"Our goal is to ensure that the Museum can fulfill its vital mission of remembering and preserving the culture and heritage of the millions who lost their lives in the Holocaust. Their terrible suffering and the meaning of their lives must never be forgotten," the Governor said. "I want to thank all those involved in helping to make the expansion possible, including District Attorney Morgenthau, Jim Gill, Peter Kalikow and the Museum board. I am pleased that in partnership with Mayor Giuliani, we were able to make this project happen."
Manhattan District Attorney and Museum Chairman Robert M. Morgenthau said, "We are grateful for the steadfast leadership and continuing support of Mayor Giuliani and Governor Pataki. This expansion will enable us to further our efforts as a continuing center of public interest. Standing as a beacon on New York's waterfront, we encourage all people - students, tourists and New Yorkers alike - to visit and make return visits to our institution and actively participate in our ongoing dialogue about the 20th Century Jewish experience."
Since opening in September 1997, the Museum has welcomed visitors from around the world who experience the Museum's message of hope and remembrance.
School children from public, private and parochial schools have also experienced the Museum's rich educational programs during the last year. The Museum sponsors programs including the annual Film and Discussion Series, a Thursday Night Cultural Series, an array of family programming, and special exhibitions.
"We are thrilled to embark on this project," Museum Director David Altshuler said. "We always envisioned expanding our core facilities to strengthen our impact as educators. A larger Museum will enable us to extend our mission of educating people of all ages and backgrounds on 20th Century Jewish heritage through enhanced programming, innovative educational projects, dynamic uses of technology and greater resource material. "
The Museum allows visitors to experience the richness of pre-Holocaust life, the devastation of the Nazi era and the hope borne of post-war Jewish cultural renewal. Organized by three basic themes, the original Museum building displays Jewish Life A Century Ago, War Against the Jews and Jewish Renewal. A multi-media presentation in the Museum's rotunda juxtaposes commentary by today's Jews on their faith and history, with photos and impressions of their forebearers.
The first floor, Jewish Life a Century Ago, explores the richness of Jewish civilization in the early 20th century, particularly pre-war Jewish Communities in Europe and North Africa.
The second floor, War Against the Jews, concentrates on the years between 1933 and 1945. While the exhibit depicts the savagery of the Holocaust, its primary focus is on showing the many facets of the Jewish response to the monolithic nightmare of the Nazi regime.
The third floor, Jewish Renewal, focuses on the rebirth of the Jewish culture after the Holocaust. The exhibit depicts the return of the Jews to the State of Israel and the emergence of the United States as a nation where Jewish culture flourishes.
The exhibition was designed by the Washington firm of Douglas/Gallagher to portray the link between the Jewish past and an ongoing, vital Jewish present. Some of the exhibits feature photographs of the men, women and children of the Holocaust era alongside remnants of their possessions, deepening the visitor's understanding of this tragic period. The core exhibition also features 24 original documentary films, produced by Rainmaker Productions, chronicling memories of Holocaust survivors including testimonies from the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, which is chaired by Museum Trustee Steven Spielberg.
The Museum is a member of New York City's Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), which assists in funding the Museum's operating expenditures. Additionally, the Museum receives funding from the New York State Department of Education and Heritage Trust.