The new look Melbourne Holocaust Museum to open in November
The rebuilt and redeveloped Melbourne Holocaust Museum (MHM) will officially open its doors in November.
Jayne Josem
This marks the culmination of a 10-year design and planning exercise and a three-year construction phase. The new facility features two museums – one dedicated to a younger audience – and a special memorial space. The building has already received an architecture award for its outstanding design by Kerstin Thompson Architects.
“It is time for our next chapter to begin with two new museums in one world-class facility”, said CEO Jayne Josem. “At this time, I wish to announce that I have decided to step down next year to take a well-earned break after 22 years of incredible devotion to this museum.
It’s been a great privilege. I’m proud to say the museum redevelopment is (almost) finished, and what we have achieved here is immense. My passion is for storytelling for change and this museum will be a great vehicle to amplify the voices and messages of Holocaust survivors to a new generation.”
Josem will continue to lead the team into 2024, ensuring that MHM has ample time to embark on an extensive search to find a suitable CEO to take the museum through its next phase, following its relaunch.
She added: “I steered the museum through its most challenging period of redevelopment and through a pandemic. We built two new museums, an incredible immersive VR testimony experience, a powerful memorial space and a truly beautiful building. Over the years our talented team has grown, and I am fortunate to be surrounded by a wonderful array of skilled staff. I pay tribute to those who worked hard to build this dream but are no longer working with us. It has been a privilege to work with our Board and incredible volunteers and of course our special Holocaust survivors who kept me going throughout.”
The next leader will inherit a world-class museum with state-of-the-art exhibits and experiences. The search now commences to find the right person with a passion for the Holocaust and human rights to take up the mantle in 2024.
Board Co-President Sue Hampel noted: “Among Jayne’s achievements are being recognised by her museum peers in 2022 for excellence, as well as receiving an award for our earlier permanent Holocaust exhibition. Jayne has curated a dozen exhibitions, including being the lead curator on the new Holocaust exhibition about to open to the public. We have loved working with her at the helm and completely understand her decision – the last five years as CEO have been enormous with the redevelopment project. We are so proud of Jayne’s efforts in transforming and leading the team to deliver this world-class facility. We can’t wait to open the doors to the public in November.”
The Melbourne Holocaust Museum was created by Melbourne Holocaust survivors as a memorial to the 6 million Jews who were murdered in WWII. More than just an award-winning museum and education centre, it also houses an incredible collection of eyewitness testimonies, historical documents and artefacts from the Holocaust, available to be explored.
