The Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida (HMREC) has just revealed architectural renderings for the new Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity in downtown Orlando, Florida. It aims to be the world’s first Holocaust museum designed around survivor and witness testimonies. 

The USC Shoah Foundation will serve as a content and creative partner in the development of the new museum. This is the first time the Foundation has teamed with a Holocaust Museum to design and implement a ground-up and permanent museum-wide exhibition. 

The museum will occupy a lakefront site and span 43,000 square feet. It has an estimated construction budget of $45 million, with its design led by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners (BBB). The firm will collaborate with museum experts Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), Dr. Stephen D. Smith of Memory Workers, and Carolynne Harris Consulting, who will work on the interior design and overall guest experience. 

The centerpiece of the museum is a protruding cylindrical volume that houses the auditorium. This space is wrapped in glass and will be luminous at night. Surrounding it will be a dramatic ramp, which will connect and create a continuation of exhibition spaces across two levels. The largest single exhibit area will span more than 12,000 square feet. The open end of the museum features a large, glazed aperture. 

“The window of hope is oriented eastward and opens to the remembrance fountain, a contemplative water feature reflecting on six million lives,” said BBB partner Hany Hassan. “The building design reflects the museum’s solemn responsibility to share and preserve the stories of the survivors and uses architectural form, space, and volume in concert with the collection to educate, engender empathy, and inspire. The museum will be a transformative experience for visitors of all ages and a welcoming beacon of hope and humanity.” 

Monte Starr, president of the HMREC Board of Directors, added: “This museum will serve as a literal beacon of light for all who visit — shining a spotlight on issues that can divide us so we can seek ways to create a world free of all forms of hatred, bigotry, and prejudice.”

The City of Orlando has agreed to lease the land where the museum is located for $1 per year for 99 years. In addition, Orange County has pledged $10 million in tourist development tax grants toward the construction of the building.