The Children’s Holocaust Memorial in Whitwell is closed temporarily because of the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Superintendent Mark Griffith says many museums like the one in Whitwell are vulnerable to being vandalized.
He says the museum holds artifacts from all over the world, and says closing the doors is the only way leaders could protect it.
Tucked away in the small town of Whitwell in Marion County is an attraction created by school children to help others understand the enormity of the holocaust.
“The Children’s Holocaust Memorial” came to be because of an 8th grade research project.
Students found a unique way to visually explain how many lives were lost during the holocaust.
“It started from a question from a child about a paper clip,” said Mark Griffith, the Superintendent of Marion County Schools.
The idea spurred what’s known as the paper clip project.
The children decided to collect 6 million paper clips to represent 6 million lives. People from around the world sent them in.
Those paper clips and historical artifacts lie within this German transport car.
Since then, they opened the museum. The 8th graders are the tour guides.
It’s made a huge impact on this community, on this county, and the world,” said Griffith.
Tensions in the middle east have made museums like the one in Whitwell targets.
Griffith says closing the doors is the only way to protect it.
The state’s homeland security and law enforcement agencies were all on board.
“It is the first time that we’ve had to do it. It’s been in conversation before,” he said.
Griffith is unsure when the exhibit will reopen, but says they hope to do so soon.
“We certainly appreciate it and love it being here, but we also want to keep everyone safe,” he said.
The museum is accepting zoom tours.
He says depending on when doors open, they plan to have the museum heavily guarded.