(The Center Square) – The Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center will receive $2 million in Maricopa County funding.
The Downtown Phoenix museum is expected to open its doors in 2027, and the funds came from Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Thomas Galvin’s slice of “Maricopa County Community Solutions Funding.”
“The Holocaust was an atrocity and it is important that we teach our children and future generations about what occurred to make sure it never happens again,” Galvin said in a statement.
“I am concerned by the rising tide of anti-Semitism, here in our community and around the world. Phoenix is the largest city in the United States without a Holocaust museum or education center. It is vitally needed in the Valley, more than ever. This collaboration with the Arizona Jewish Historical Society will help preserve and embrace the rich heritage of our local Jewish communities, educate the public on the historical significance of the Holocaust, and teach students to take responsibility for building a better and more just world,” he continued.
Another $7 million from the Arizona Department of Education as part of legislative funding for the center in the state’s budget, and proponents hope it would bolster other genocide education laws for in the state, like House Bill 2779, which mandates some genocide education throughout middle and high school, The Center Square reported in September.
“All of my extended family were killed in the Holocaust,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said at the time.
Steve Hilton, who’s spearheading the education center’s development, thanked Galvin for the funding in a statement.
“The Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center will take a multifaceted, experiential approach to presenting the history and legacy of the Holocaust. As students move through the galleries, they will experience both a physical and emotional journey, gaining the understanding that will inspire them to act and help ‘Repair the World,” he said.
