Reagan Foundation to Extend Auschwitz Exhibit Hours Due to Record-Breaking Sales
Extended hours and scaled back visitor flow will provide optimal viewing experience for attendees
Simi Valley, CA – The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute will extend its hours due to an overwhelming public response to the Reagan Library’s current exhibit, Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. The exhibit has sold a record-breaking 67,000 tickets in its first weeks, more than any other exhibit in the Library’s history. By extending hours and reducing the flow of patrons allowed in at a time, the Reagan Library aims to provide the most immersive viewing experience for everyone.
“We anticipated visitors would connect deeply with this powerful exhibition, however the response has been overwhelming,” said David Trulio, President and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. “It is important that our guests be able to take their time to grapple with the shocking history of Auschwitz, which is why we are taking steps to ensure every visitor has an optimal viewing experience.”
To date, patrons from all 50 states and from overseas have booked tickets to view the hundreds of artifacts and photographs, and abundant information, on display in Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. More than 170 public, private and home schools have registered, representing nearly 10,000 students. Among those, 26 needs-based schools and youth organizations supporting nearly 4,000 students have been awarded financial grants to cover travel and food expenses to visit the exhibition. In addition, 32 religious organizations have registered for tickets, amounting to 1,300 additional attendees.
Created by Spanish company Musealia together with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland, and now being toured through North America by World Heritage Exhibitions, the exhibit displays the largest and most comprehensive collection of artifacts linked to the history of this German Nazi concentration and extermination camp. Among the collection of more than 700 original artifacts are personal items that belonged to Auschwitz victims, including eyeglasses, suitcases, and shoes, as well as a gas mask used by the SS and an original Model 2 freight train car used to deport Jews to ghettos and extermination camps in Poland during the war.
“In 1988, President Ronald Reagan spoke at the future site of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC,” said Trulio. “While there, he spoke of the importance of keeping fresh the memory of the 6 million murdered Jews, and he said of the Holocaust, ‘we must comprehend it. We have no choice; the future of mankind depends upon it.’” “Following his call,” continued Trulio, “we must keep learning from history to ensure that a horror such as the Holocaust never comes again.”
To learn more about the Ronald Reagan Foundation and Institute and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, please visit: www.reaganfoundation.org.
About the Reagan Foundation and Institute:
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is the sole nonprofit organization created by President Reagan charged with continuing his legacy and sharing his principles – individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy and national pride. The Foundation is a non-partisan organization which sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA, the Reagan Center for Public Affairs, the Presidential Learning Center, The Air Force One Pavilion, the award-winning Discovery Center and the Reagan Institute, which carries out the Foundation’s mission in Washington, D.C.
The Reagan Library houses over 55 million pages of Gubernatorial, Presidential and personal papers and over 60,000 gifts and artifacts chronicling the lives of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. It also serves as the final resting place of America’s 40th President and his First Lady.
About Musealia:
Musealia is an independent Spanish company that creates and manages global touring exhibitions, which inspire us all to explore the past, understand the present and shape our collective future. With more than 20 years of international experience, our exhibitions are characterized by their strong narrative character, their historical rigor, educational value and emotional impact. More than 70 museums and institutions in countries such as the United States, Mexico, Germany, Italy,Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Estonia, Poland or Spain have hosted our exhibitions.
About World Heritage Exhibitions:
World Heritage Exhibitions (WHE) is renowned for producing, promoting, and designing the finest quality museum content on the globe. Their exhibitions have captivated, educated, and inspired visitors in virtually every major market on the planet. With a combined 150 years of exhibition experience, the WHE executive team has been responsible for touring many of the world’s most valuable treasures, including objects from King Tutankhamun’s tomb, relics from Cleopatra’s Royal Palace, artifacts from the Titanic, items from the discovery of Pompeii, and more. Their exhibitions have now been enjoyed by over 30 million people spanning six continents, and their collective expertise has come together in one of the industry's most influential touring exhibition companies.
In 2021, World Heritage Exhibitions became a part of NEON, a global leader in immersive experiences that is responsible for the touring phenomena “Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N.,” “AVATAR: The Experience,” “Jurassic World: The Exhibition,” and more. WHE and NEON have brought their expertise together to launch the awe-inspiring, artifact-based exhibitions “Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs” and “Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru.” Coupled with some of the most successful artifact exhibitions on tour: “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition;” “Pompeii: The Exhibition;” “Victoria the T. rex;” and “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away,” their collective exhibition and I.P. portfolio now highlight some of the most significant items and events in history with many of the most sought-after I.P. properties.
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