Melbourne’s The Jewish Holocaust Centre gets a new name

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Only months before reopening following a three-year major redevelopment, the Jewish Holocaust Centre announces a transition to the name Melbourne Holocaust Museum (MHM) accompanied by a logo and refined look from late April 2022.

In a video announcement shared across social media platforms,  CEO & Museum Director Jayne Josem explained the name reflects the museum’s identity and location while honouring its Holocaust survivor founders.

The name coincides with the redevelopment of Australia’s largest institution dedicated to Holocaust education, research and remembrance, and brings the 38-year-old organisation into its next chapter.

Melbourne, in the name, provides a local element honouring the legacy of Melbourne-based Holocaust survivors. It also reinforces its presence in the city, where the community, including students, gather to learn from survivors – combatting antisemitism, racism, and prejudice at a local level.

“We house Melbourne survivor stories and want our city – their home and ours – in our name,” said Josem.

The name returns to the institution’s roots; since their 1984 founding, the community has colloquially referred to them as the ‘Holocaust museum.’ Additionally, the term museum best reflects their main activities of research, exhibitions, collecting, public engagement, and education.

The museum will roll out the Melbourne Holocaust Museum name with a logo from late April.

Developed by leading advertising agency CHEP, the logo brings a visual element intrinsic to the Melbourne Holocaust Museum’s identity. It includes the Star of David with a fragmented typeface that represents, according to design rationale, “Jewish life after the Holocaust and the survivors dedicated to piecing those fragments back together to re-establish their lives and commemorate those lost.”

The name transition coincides with the MHM’s initiative to build a world-class museum. Due to open later this year, the major redevelopment includes three museum exhibition spaces and state-of-the- art learning, memorial, and research facilities. The Melbourne Holocaust Museum name cements the must-see museum and education experience in line with their already longstanding strong local and international reputation.

“Melbourne Holocaust Museum encapsulates what we do,” CEO & Museum Director Jayne Josem said on the name. “It underpins our promise to educate far and wide about the events of the Holocaust, commemorate the victims and honour survivors, carrying their voices to inspire a better future for decades to come.”