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Holocaust Museum Houston

Holocaust Museum Houston

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Holocaust Museum Houston

See all things to do
See all things to do
Holocaust Museum Houston
4.5
797
#14 of 348 things to do in Houston
History Museums
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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About
Charged with educating students and the public about the dangers of prejudice and hatred in society, Holocaust Museum Houston opened its doors in March of 1996. Since that time, impassioned notes, poems, artwork, and other gifts, from school children and adults alike, attest to the life-changing thoughts generated by just one visit to this unique facility. After a $34 million expansion, the Museum reopened in June 2019 after more than doubling in size to a total of 57,000 square feet. Ranked as the nation's fourth largest Holocaust museum and fully bilingual in English and Spanish, the new three-story structure houses a welcome center, four permanent galleries and two changing exhibition galleries, classrooms, research library, café, 187-seat indoor theater and 175-seat outdoor amphitheater. With more than 50 screens, mini-theaters and interactive terminals are featured throughout the Museum.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Address
Neighborhood: The Museum District
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
797 reviews
Excellent
549
Very good
181
Average
43
Poor
17
Terrible
7
wireless_in_CA
United States4,588 contributions
Thoughtful Remembrance
Family
First time I came on my own and it was closed for some reason so second time with the family we entered.

We had to go through security metal detectors and bags inspected. No guns, pepper spray allowed inside.

Admission was reasonable and children 18 or younger were free. Parking was $8.

The free guided tour was already full so we decided to wander around on our own. There was the main Holocaust section, an outdoor memorial, Family Memorial Room and two special exhibits on Human Rights and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG).

I was admired RBG and they did a great overview of her life and accomplishments.

No photos were allowed in the permanent Holocaust gallery. Exhibits, photos and artifacts from survivors or their families that came to Houston were informative and a lot of reading. A rail car (similar vintage to ones used to take people to the camps) and even a boat (used in rescues) were installed inside the museum.

One unique exhibit was a virtual conversation with a Holocaust survivor.

A worthwhile museum to visit in Houston.
Written June 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
CJTravelerTexas
Texas8,782 contributions
Fascinating Museum
Over the years we have visited a number of historic sites and museums related to the holocaust – Dachau and Sachsenhausen Concentration Camps and the Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism in Germany, and the Auschwitz-Birkenau and Majdanek Concentration Camps and the Oskar Schindler Factory Museum in Poland – but we had never visited the Houston Holocaust Museum until June 2021. The Houston Holocaust Museum is extremely well done and does a commendable job of communicating the evil that took place as a result of Nazi Germany. The introductory video is well worth viewing. Photography is restricted in certain areas of the museum. There is a special exhibit of art by Samuel Bak, who survived the holocaust. The fascinating exhibits are described in both English and Spanish. This is a museum well worth visiting.
Written July 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
ChacomomZ
Amarillo, TX336 contributions
A must see!!
Family
This is a beautiful museum with lots of history to see and hear. There is a virtual room (which should have been much larger) where museum goers can ask a Holocaust survivor many questions about his experience (I could have stayed in this exhibit all day.) The museum curator was very good in that he had questions available to ask the man if you couldn’t think of anything. There were several very well done movies in the museum too, with survivors talking through their experiences. Very well done museum!!
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Austin
Cypress, TX4 contributions
Underwhelming and expensive
Couples
I don't see how this is so highly rated. I know it seems weird to say a Holocaust Museum is bad but this one was expensive and had little in the way of artifacts compared to others I've been to. My wife just said it was underwhelming, overpriced, and small. The tour wasn't good either. I realize that I'm a history buff so I understand just getting the general information across to the general public is more important, but it didn't feel engaging and my wife said it wasn't good. Did I mention expensive? Their rail car meant to seem like it was one used to transport people to the concentration camp but if I remember right it said it wasn't even a real one, just one like it. I'm pretty sure that was the case but don't hold me to it. I love history and was very disappointed by this place.
Written September 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
djh1960
Houston, TX43 contributions
Top notch small museum
A small museum but wonderfully curated. Like any museum dedicated to the holocost it is hard to visit on an emotional level, but the presentation is appropriate without being overwhelming. Definitely a worthwhile stop in Houston.
Written May 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mateo R
Mexico City, Mexico119 contributions
Informational visit
It's very informative but honestly I was expecting to see more objects. For me the highlight is a train car of full size, it gives you an idea of the terror people felt on their way to an even more awful place. Most of the musuem consists of reading text on walls, hence my disapointment. In this era where you can find information on pretty much everything with your phone I would expect musuems to fill the more tangible part of things. For example a miniature model of a concentration camp would give you a better feel of the size of the operation and how calculated it was. They just didn't take some park and start doing awful things, there was a lot of planning involved, this highlights the evil machinations of these people. It's not the same to just read about it.

I know it's a sensible topic and I'm glad the musuem exists as is, but still there might be some room for improvement.
Written July 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Paul C
2 contributions
Moving...Just So Moving
Just walking into the museum and passing by the reconstruction of one of the chimneys from the ovens where so many people's bodies were put to death, put me in a somber mood. To see the mementos and read the stories of the people that lived (and died) through this dark part of history, is to grasp in a small way the pain and suffering they went through. When I read or hear about someone saying that the Holocaust did not happen, I weep, for I have been to this museum and believe what I saw.
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TJ V
Amsterdam, The Netherlands21 contributions
Goosebumps
Solo
Being from Amsterdam, The Netherlands myself, this has been a very rough period of time for Europe. Everyone in the world should know what happened exactly and this museum displays this black page in history very well.
The human rights exhibit should be taught in school, providing you with a lot of information.
Written January 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
EBW
Middleton, WI220 contributions
Museum is very well done
I haven't been to any of the Holocaust Museums around the country so this was my first experience. Beginning in the beautiful theater room and hearing their voices and stories was an excellent introduction. Of course the entire museum is a moving and powerful experience. They have made it personal and brought it to life. I was struck by the use of he railroad car as a bridge to another section. The size and time spent are about right for the gravity of the topic. Don't miss the area outside the main doors with the stone blocks beside the sidewalk.
Written January 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Theresa K
Houston, TX199 contributions
They should rename this: the Social Justice Museum for the Woke.
I was appalled. This did not honor the memories of those who suffered in the Holocaust. It was an insult to them. You walk in and see all this BLM and LGBTQ propaganda. If you want a museum for that, knock yourselves out! However, this is not the place for that. I can't say I'm surprised by the people who gave it good reviews. I guess that's the world we live in. Pathetic.
Written March 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Holocaust Museum Houston
Holocaust Museum Houston is open:
  • Sun - Sun 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Mon - Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Sat - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Holocaust Museum Houston tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 3 Holocaust Museum Houston tours on Tripadvisor
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