Cassidy Schuck | The Crow’s Nest
By Gabby DaCosta
From a walk through a timeline of tragedy to a look into a young girl’s plaid diary, the “Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank” exhibit showcases relevancy for the past, present and future.
The Florida Holocaust Museum, at 55 Fifth St. S, premiered the new exhibit on Jan. 25, telling a story that still holds relevance today.
“It’s important for our visitors to make connections between what happened to Anne Frank and what happens today with people who are discriminated against,” said Erin Blankenship, the curator of exhibitions and collections.
With anti-Semitism and discrimination still alive today, she said that Anne Frank’s story is important for people to connect with.
The exhibit welcomes visitors with displays that highlight the many acts of discrimination that exist today, including people who are treated differently for their disability, race or religion.
The display also advises ways to prevent exclusion and fight against hate.
Visitors can walk along a timeline of images, excerpts and descriptions of Frank’s life and the history of the Holocaust. The exhibit showcases a model of the Anne Frank house as well as a replica of her diary.
“We always think the past is over, but we have to learn from this and never let it happen again,” said 71-year-old Maureen Burns.
While she thought the exhibit was informative, she was deeply saddened by what she read. She said that she hopes that we can learn from the past to prevent future tragedies from happening.
Many visitors said that there was much to take away from the exhibit and apply to the present day.
“We have to stop what is going on because it’s happening again,” said Viviana Rada, 50.
Rada has been interested in Anne Frank and the history of the Holocaust since learning about it in high school in Colombia. She and her husband also visited Anne Frank’s house in Amsterdam, as well as a concentration camp.
She described visiting these places as “indescribable.”
While viewers can walk through a timeline of displays, they can also partake in a 25-minute virtual reality film that lets viewers take a tour through the Anne Frank house. The tour uses the exact words from her diary while describing the house to viewers.
The museum is using virtual reality as a way to increase accessibility to the lessons of the Holocaust.
The exhibit will run through Jan. 24, 2021. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. Admission for students is $10, but reservations are required for the virtual reality tour. You can book appointment online at https://bookwhen.com/flholocaustmuseumvr.
