KT, DC and ME – The Holocaust Museum

Katie is home for spring break (her last spring break as an undergrad) and, as a history major who is mostly fascinated with WWII, she’s always wanted to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. We happened to have Marriott points that were going to expire in April, so she and I took advantage this past Wednesday. It was a gorgeous day for a drive, though rather gusty as we drove over the I-95 Susquehanna bridge. Still, we made really good time and were lucky enough to get checked into our hotel early.

Then we set out for the museum. We found the metro station, made the appropriate transfer and  ended up on the mall at the Smithsonian, right in between these beauties:

Those dots in the sky means my lens was dirty. Oops.  For those of you who are photographers, I know. I am a breaker of a cardinal rule. I’ll have to live with the knowledge of my transgression for the rest of my life. Or at least every time I look at these pictures.

From there we walked over to the Holocaust Museum:

If you’ve never been there you can imagine how intense the experience is. I didn’t learn much beyond what I already knew, however, I don’t think I can adequately put into words the thoughts and emotions that each exhibit provoked. Sadness, indignation, disbelief, amazement are just a few. The main exhibit begins on the fourth floor and works its way down to the second floor, following a timeline which begins with 1933. The fourth floor talks about the rise of Hitler’s power and the Nazi Assault (1933 to 1939). The third floor is the Final Solution to the Jewish “problem” (ghettos, labor camps, death camps – 1940 to 1945). And finally the Last Chapter on the second floor – the end of the war and the liberation.

I didn’t take many pictures in the museum, at least not of the exhibits. It didn’t feel right to me. But here are a few of the photos I did take:

How anybody could honestly believe these atrocities never happened is beyond me. I highly recommend this somber experience if you ever find yourself in the DC area.

No trip with Katie is complete without good food. Come back for the next installment of KT, DC and ME wherein I shall make you drool.