In the heart of downtown Chicago, a profound journey into history and humanity unfolds through state-of-the-art immersive technology at the newly opened Illinois Holocaust Museum presents Experience360. Officially launched on August 26 at 360 N. State Street, this satellite venue expands the reach of Holocaust and genocide education during a critical time marked by rising antisemitism and societal challenges. As the main museum in Skokie undergoes renovations, Experience360 ensures that the vital mission of remembrance and learning continues uninterrupted, offering visitors deeply personal encounters with stories of survival and resilience.
The museum’s innovative approach marries cutting-edge technology with storytelling, inviting audiences to step beyond traditional exhibits and engage with history in immersive, interactive ways. Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of the Illinois Holocaust Museum, expresses the forward-looking vision behind this initiative: “We’re thrilled to bring some of our most impactful exhibitions to new audiences in downtown Chicago. Experience360 is a bold reimagining of how we connect people to the lessons of the past using the technology of the future.” This vision materializes through curated spaces such as the Northern Trust Virtual Reality Theater, where visitors journey alongside survivors through childhood homes, concentration camps, and hiding places in compelling 360-degree film experiences.
The Experience360 venue also features the ITW Special Exhibition Gallery—Stories of Survival: Object. Image. Memory—which showcases photographs, artifacts, and mementos that add tangible depth to survivor narratives. In the Karkomi Family Foundation Gallery, visitors explore critical historical moments from 1933 to 1945, enriched by images, reflections, and survivor testimonies. One of the most striking elements is the Lillian & Larry Goodman Foundations Holography Theater, which ushers visitors into a new realm of interactive history. Here, life-sized holograms—created in partnership with USC Libraries and the USC Shoah Foundation—enable visitors to engage in conversations with Holocaust survivors such as Rodi Glass and Marion Deichmann. This unique storytelling layer is enhanced by including testimonies from Kizito Kalima, a Tutsi survivor of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, broadening the museum’s mission to encompass global perspectives on resilience and recovery.
Technologically, Experience360 exemplifies the latest trends in immersive museum design. The use of virtual reality combined with holography allows for a multi-dimensional storytelling experience that fosters empathy and deep reflection. The seamless integration of these technologies aligns Experience360 with a growing global movement among museums to deepen visitor engagement through interactive content, elevating historical education beyond passive viewing. This approach echoes similar efforts seen in institutions like the National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam, which recently opened with a focus on commemorating 80 years since the region’s liberation from Nazi oppression.
Moreover, the museum’s blend of technology and narrative delivers not just a historical education but a call to action, highlighting community-driven resistance to hatred which ultimately led to the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s founding. These experiences demonstrate how immersive environments can inspire visitors of all ages to confront difficult histories while fostering empathy, respect, and hope. As Sam Gustman, associate dean of technology at USC Libraries and chief technology officer at the Shoah Foundation, notes, “This partnership with IHMEC enables visitors to engage directly with the singular voices of survivors’ testimonies… The immersive experience enriches Holocaust and genocide education by fostering personal connection and deeper historical understanding.”
Experience360 stands as a model for how fulldome and immersive exhibition spaces can serve a dual purpose: preserving the authenticity of survivor stories and expanding educational outreach to diverse audiences. By situating the venue in downtown Chicago and employing cutting-edge immersive media technologies, the Illinois Holocaust Museum advances the field of immersive arts and sciences and sets a precedent for museums worldwide. Its combination of intimate, personal storytelling with innovative presentation methods offers a blueprint for how institutions can embrace new technologies to safeguard memory and advocate for justice in an increasingly complex world.
Originally reported by Charlotte Coates via blooloop.com on 2025-08-27 02:47:00.
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