Florida Holocaust Museum reopens next week with new exhibits, safety measures

New exhibits, safety measures at Holocaust museum

Next Tuesday, the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Pete reopens after it was closed for more than a year for upgrades. Kailey Tracy reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Four local Holocaust survivors tell their stories as visitors ask questions at the new "Dimensions in Testimony" exhibit at the Florida Holocaust Museum.

The survivors were interviewed and technology picks up keywords in visitors’ questions to then play the answer through a video screen from the prerecorded interview. Museum staff said this new exhibit, and several others, create a more immersive experience for visitors.

RELATED: Florida Holocaust Museum undergoing safety renovations, reactions to attack outside DC Jewish Museum

"It has been incredible, and I cannot wait for the visitors to come in and see what we've done, and I really hope they like it," Exhibits Manager Caitlin Cranfill said.

Big picture view:

Next Tuesday, the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg reopens after it was closed for more than a year for upgrades. An installation from the Elie Wiesel collection is another new exhibit.

"I feel so honored to have been a part of that collection and be able to create the exhibit," Cranfill said.

MORE: Missing St. Pete woman found safe after reported kidnapping at apartment complex

The installation is temporary until the permanent one is built on the third floor.

Dig deeper:

Cranfill said the renovations centered around Thor, a Danish fishing boat used in 1943 to rescue Jews.

"That was a big piece that we wanted to incorporate with the museum. After we brought it in and had it set up, we realized that our old exhibit wasn't really working with the flow of how we currently have our new security system and where we have Thor. So, we decided to completely reimagine our core exhibit at the same time," she said.

"It's a great feeling to have an object, especially something so large, that was part of rescuing Jews from being taken out by the Nazis, and it's nice, and it is a great juxtaposition with our box car, because that is a vehicle that brought people to their deaths, and now we have this artifact that helped bring people to survive and to live," Cranfill said.

READ: Community members use chalk art to protest FDOT removing St. Pete street murals

The $8 million in renovations also include upgrades to security, like bulletproof glass and enhanced metal detectors. They’re upgrades, museum staff said, unfortunately, are needed after seeing antisemitic attacks across the country.

"The bulletproof glass does make us feel safer. These new security measures will help guests feel more secure and safer coming into the museum, and we just want to make sure that everyone feels safe when they come in and just to know that we are well aware of what's been going on," Cranfill said.

What's next:

The museum reopens next Tuesday from 2-5 p.m. Wednesday next week, you can get in for free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. thanks to Duke Energy.