Holocaust Foundations

Holocaust Foundations: A Guided Introduction

Explore our Permanent Holocaust Exhibition with a trained museum educator. Educators will guide students through the timeline of the Holocaust, emphasizing St. Louis Survivors’ experiences. Students are encouraged to interact with the exhibit and participate in thoughtful discussions.  This tour is recommended for students with limited knowledge of the Holocaust or limited experience in museums.

This program includes a guided exploration of our Permanent Holocaust Exhibition, and the option to either participate in our Impact lab, Holocaust Testimony: Survivor and Descendant Speakers or Special Exhibition Program, when available.

Program Duration:
Program only – 2 hours
With additional experience – 3 hours 15 minutes

Maximum Number of Participants:
Program only – 60
With additional experience – 100-120

Recommended Grade Level:
5th – 7th Grade

Pricing:
Students – $6
Chaperones – one free ticket for every 10 students or $12

Dates Offering:
Spring 2027
Please note, during the spring semester (February-May) this program is only offered Mondays, Tuesdays, and after 1:00pm on Wednesday-Friday.

Have any questions? Email [email protected]

Request a School Tour

Additional Information

This guided tour is designed to build a foundational understanding of the Holocaust through the Permanent Holocaust Exhibition. A trained museum educator will guide students through the galleries, using the exhibition timeline, artifacts, photographs, documents, survivor testimony, and exhibition text to introduce key events, vocabulary, and historical context while highlighting St. Louis Survivor voices. The tour is appropriate for students who are beginning their study of the Holocaust or who have limited prior experience with Holocaust history and museums.Groups are typically organized with up to 20 students per museum educator. Chaperones are welcome to join the tour. If the number of students and chaperones will exceed 25 people per educator, please contact the museum as soon as possible so staff can plan appropriately.During the guided experience, students will have limited time for independent exploration of the exhibition. Museum educators will direct the group through the exhibition and may adjust which objects, stories, or discussion questions they emphasize based on the group’s grade level, prior knowledge, timing, and student engagement.

Sample Schedule

Arrival time: Please arrive within the 15-minute window before your experience starts. Students will need time to get off the bus, go through security, and, if needed, use the restroom. If you arrive after your start time or more than 15 before your program, modifications may have to be made.

Welcome (15 minutes)
Session 1 (1 hour 30 minutes) – Permanent Exhibition activity
Optional Session 2 (1 hour 15 minutes) – Additional Experience which can include the Impact Lab, Holocaust Testimony: Survivor or Descendant Speakers, or the Special Exhibition Program, when available
Conclusion (15 minutes)

If your group exceeds the per session limit of participants, then your group will be divided in half during each session then flip and do the other activity during the second session.

Session 1 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Group A: Permanent Exhibition Activity
Group B: Additional Experience + 15 minute break

Session 2 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Group A: Additional Experience + 15 minute break
Group B: Permanent Exhibition Activity

Meet the Missouri Holocaust Mandate

All of our programming is designed up to help schools meet the Missouri Holocaust Mandate. To learn more visit Missouri Holocaust Education Mandate Resources

Additional Experiences:

Add additional experiences to your group’s visit. Please note, we only recommend picking one additional experience for an in-person field trip experience.

image of man at the St. Louis Holocaust Museum

Holocaust Foundations