The Zekelman Holocaust Center

Amid nondescript office buildings, small strip shops, coffee shops, banks and restaurants, the Zekelman Holocaust Center evokes powerful emotions.

The museum is composed of three components arranged linearly the Museum of European Jewish Heritage, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the International Institute of the Righteous. At the heart of the building is a two-story lobby connecting the museum and conference center into a harmonious whole. The 4,000 sf space accommodates a wide range of functions and includes one of the most important aspects of the building, the memorial flame dedicated to the six million who died and the many Jewish communities across Europe destroyed by Nazi hate and intolerance. The conference center includes three small breakout rooms and a large multipurpose hall to hold traveling exhibits and a variety of gatherings for up to 400 persons. This area of the building also includes a bookstore, gift shop and other support spaces.

In 2023, near the museum's 20th year anniversary, we partnered with The Zekelman Holocaust Center and the project team—Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Sachse Construction, and Design and Production Incorporated—to bring new accessible, interactive, and educational galleries to the museum.

Award of Honor, AIA Michigan “M” Award for Excellence in Masonry Design, Masonry Institute of Michigan and AIA Michigan Outstanding Achievement Award, ESD