On September 18, 2019, the new Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum opened its doors to the public. Founded in 1984 by a group of Dallas area Holocaust Survivors, the Museum is dedicated to teaching the history of the Holocaust and advancing human rights to combat prejudice, hatred and indifference. Cortina Productions designed and produced 32 media exhibits for the new 55,000 square foot Museum including a unique orientation film experience that traverses a 4-level stairwell, and an interactive theater that inspires visitors to confront their own biases.
“The Museum media exhibits and educational programs call each visitor to answer the question, ‘What kind of person am I? A Perpetrator, a Bystander or an Upstander?’” says Cortina Productions principal Amy Maddox. “What we choose directly determines whether hate will go unchecked or if we will stand up to the hate in one another and in ourselves.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on September 17, 2019, with appearances by the Governor of Texas, the Mayor of Dallas, and Survivors of the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide. As a result of the Museum’s commitment to creating Upstanders, the Dallas City Council has designated September 18 as Upstander Day in honor of the museum’s opening.