Skip to main content

Top 20 Human Rights Museums Around the World

“When you think of a museum, places like the Smithsonian, Tate Modern, Louvre, The Egyptian Museum or the National Gallery of Victoria leap to mind. Museums are educational spaces that use artifacts and exhibits to bring the past to life. In somewhat recent years, however, a new form of museum has emerged: the human rights museum. These spaces have two purposes: to educate and to warn. Using photographs, objects, and interactive displays, human rights museums examine past violations and remember those affected. Visitors leave with more knowledge and understanding, but the primary hope is that these museums provoke empathy. Empathy is a key part in preventing future injustices.

 

Human rights museums are also frequently controversial. Which human rights violations are memorialized, how much space certain events are given, and if certain exhibits are exploitative are common concerns.”