Florida Holocaust Museum reopens Tuesday. Here's a look at what's new

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - More than a year after closing for $8 million in upgrades, the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg officially reopened on Tuesday. Holocaust survivors and their families cut the ribbon on Tuesday. 

"The emotions are, you know, bringing back to mind what we survived and hope that future generations learn from what happened and hopefully history will not repeat itself, because history unlearned is history repeated," Holocaust survivor Dr. John Rinde said. "We see what happened in Israel on October seventh and the anti-Semitism that was exhibited by the Columbia and Harvard students, and even in my alma mater at MIT. It's very, very disturbing."

What we know:

The building along 5th St. South now has bulletproof glass and enhanced metal detectors for improved security. The safety upgrades are unfortunately needed, staff says, after seeing anti-Semitic attacks rise across the world.

There are new exhibits, as well, including "Dimensions in Testimony." Four Holocaust survivors were interviewed, and technology picks up keywords in visitors’ questions to play the appropriate answer through a video screen.

"We have reimagined the littlest details, from upgraded security and enhanced accessibility to a more immersive, visitor-focused experience, so that every story resonates more deeply," Museum CEO Eric Stillman said.

An installation from the Elie Wiesel collection is another new exhibit. It's temporary until the permanent one is built on the third floor.

"Elie and Mary Wiesel spent many years down here in St. Petersburg as Professor Wiesel looked forward to his time co-teaching at Eckerd College… In the years since her beloved husband passed, Mrs. Wiesel still made the journey down to the Don Cesar to spend time in this beautiful area, which was a second home to the family for so long," Marissa Daniel, the program coordinator at the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, said. 

Dig deeper:

Exhibits Manager Caitlin Cranfill says the renovations centered on Thor, a Danish fishing boat used in 1943 to rescue Jews, adding that the upgrades are designed to create a more immersive, visitor-focused experience.

"That was a big piece that we wanted to incorporate with the museum," Cranfill told FOX 13 last week. "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."

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Local perspective:

Several local and state leaders also helped the museum reopen its doors.

"For over three decades, the Florida Holocaust Museum has served as an educational institution and pillar of this community, ensuring that we never forget one of our world's darkest chapters," St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said.

"The Florida Holocaust Museum is truly one of the state's crown jewels," Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins said. "It's an institution that the governor, our legislature, our cities, our communities and more importantly, our people have all gotten behind."

"This past June, I had the opportunity, and I do say opportunity, to go over to Jordan and Israel and bring home American citizens during the Iran-Israel war, I guess we'll call it. We had to dodge ballistic missiles. We had to go rescue people and bring them home. Now, on the ground, I will tell you that it was frightening. There were people who were scared, but that's what leadership should do, put people ahead of politics, people ahead of our own personal safety," Collins said.

Funding for the $8 million in renovations received support from the state, Pinellas County, St. Pete and public and private donors. Senator Nick DeSiglie (R), who represents part of Pinellas County, and Representative Linda Chaney (R), who also represents part of Pinellas, have been project sponsors at the state level and were both in attendance Tuesday.

They’ve helped garner more than $11 million in capital funding for the museum and $2.5 million in programmatic funding through state appropriations.

What's next:

On Wednesday, you can get into the museum for free from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. thanks to Duke Energy.