Houston’s Holocaust Museum holds a candlelight ceremony ahead of its closure

Houston’s Holocaust Museum has temporarily shuttered its doors as of Monday, July 24.

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The museum will reopen after completing a major expansion project, which will double its size. When it reopens, the museum will be the fourth-largest in the nation.

Before the closure, the museum held a weekend-long event for the public, which included free admission. The weekend concluded with a candlelight ceremony.

The ceremony, called “Lights of Hope for the Future,” honored 20 Holocaust survivors. Over 250 guests attended the ceremony.

About two-thirds of the current building will be demolished and replaced with a new three-story building that will accommodate new exhibits, including a Danish rescue boat and a rail car.

The new facility will also offer classrooms, a library, and administrative offices.

During the closure, the current exhibits will be housed in a temporary location, which will open on September 5.

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Construction on the expanded museum is scheduled to begin in October, with completion expected in early 2019.

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