ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A local center spends its days informing New Mexicans about the holocaust and other topics, but they’re struggling with something. They’re running out of room.
“As you look around, you see that we are very challenged by space.”
The New Mexico Holocaust Museum and Gellert Center for Education in Downtown Albuquerque is in need of more room.
“We have about 1,600 square feet of exhibit space, not anywhere near enough to do justice to the information, and the content we want people to be able to absorb,” Executive Director Raye Cohen said.
Cohen explained they’ve grown out of the space at 616 Central, a spot it’s been at since 2009. While 60% of the museum is dedicated to the Holocaust, the rest covers the Native American and African American experiences, the Armenian Genocide, and more.
The museum needs more space for the pieces, and they want to add classrooms.
“That’s really something that’s very critical to my concept of how the museum should function.”
However, the museum might not be at that location for much longer. Cohen has dreams of moving it to a bigger location, closer to other museums in Old Town. Right now, around 6,000 people come through a year, but they’re looking to triple that.
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A feasibility study was done, determining the museum would need at least 15,000 square feet to accommodate the exhibit space they’d like.
Cohen said fundraising for the possible move will be anticipated in the coming months.
“We have great plans to bring a very interactive approach to telling all of the stories and that’s what’s important.”
