After unprecedented demand, the Reagan Foundation and Institute is extending viewing days of its “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.” exhibit at the Reagan Library, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley.
The exhibit will remain through Sun., Jan. 28, 2024, staying open through Holocaust Remembrance Day that same weekend.
The exhibit, a reminder to never forget the atrocities of the past, is one of the most visited in the Reagan Library’s history, including a sold-out opening weekend.
Visitors can view more than 700 artifacts, photographs, stories and other information on display regarding the German Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz and its inhabitants, both victims and perpetrators.
Among the artifacts are hundreds of personal items that belonged to Auschwitz victims, including eyeglasses, suitcases and shoes, as well as a gas mask used by the SS and an original Model 2 freight train car used to deport Jews to ghettos and extermination camps in Poland during the war.
The traveling exhibit, featuring Holocaust artifacts from across the globe, premiered March 24 and was originally scheduled to close Aug. 13. Due to the exceptional interest, the library has extended its duration into next year.
“As visitors educate themselves about one of the most sinister times in human history, we have seen people from around the globe touched, many moved to tears, by the powerful stories the exhibition tells,” said David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
“Sadly, with antisemitism on the rise and acts of genocide still a reality in the world today, the exhibition’s name—Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.— could not be more appropriate. It is more important than ever that people learn from the exhibit and never forget the suffering people endured so that we can ensure history never repeats itself,” he said.
To date, the Reagan Library has sold tickets to patrons from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and internationally, as well as to more than 170 school groups representing nearly 10,000 students, many of whom were awarded financial grants to cover travel and ticket expenses to visit the exhibition.
“The visit to the Auschwitz exhibit was a compelling and moving experience for our students,” said Thomas Frank, a Thousand Oaks middle school principal.
“Through this exhibition, they [students] were able to confront the realities of the Holocaust, learn from history, and become advocates for tolerance, inclusivity and understanding.”
The exhibit is for ages 12 and up. Tickets have timed entries and must be purchased in advance at www.reagan.systemtickets.org/auschwitz.