Museum of Tolerance – A Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum

I’ve been to the MOT in Los Angeles a few times, and I was very surprised to go to the MOT in midtown because it is a completely different experience. I suppose I’m a bit biased because I really think the MOT In LA is very powerful, and I did not find the MOT In midtown Manhattan as powerful, but it was still very interesting.
Although the museum does focus mainly on raising awareness of the Holocaust, it truly is a museum about teaching tolerance to its visitors: tolerance of different religions, races, genders, sexualities, etc. The museum utilizes many different modalities to teach tolerance and raise awareness, including a «hall of memory» and the «power of words» which are basically posters and videos that express various forms of non-​tolerance throughout history. There is also a «point of view diner» which is a neat place for kids to sit and learn about different points of view.
Overall, it’s a great museum, centrally located (right on 42^nd St near Grand Central), inexpensive, and powerful. Definitely recommend if you’ve never been.

This was the second evening program I’ve attended at the museum and both of them were very worthwhile. The first time (about five months ago), I attended a reading by several actors. This time it was a (mostly) singing performance by ten teenagers. There was a very interesting Q&A session after both programs. The cost of (advance) tickets was reasonable and the museum serves an important purpose.
(Update on 12÷12÷12): The museum will be open to the public on January 20 (a Sunday) from 11 – 4. Also, there are now guided tours every Monday and Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. ($ 15, and $ 12 for seniors & $ 10 for students).
(Update on 2÷26÷14): The museum will be open to the public on March 2 and April 6 (Sundays) from 11 – 4. Admission remains the same as before.

I took my 14 year old son here so that he could learn about tolerance. He left the Museum with the knowledge that words have power and that his behavior can have a strong impact on his community and the world. This is a place where teens can hear firsthand that Genocide continues and there are many ways that individuals can make a difference. I highly recommend visiting the museum!