CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center | Terre Haute

The CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center, located at 1532 S. 3rd Street in Terre Haute, Indiana, is a profoundly significant institution dedicated to Holocaust remembrance, historical education, and the promotion of human rights. Founded by Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor, the museum is unique in its focus on the personal testimonies of twins who were subjected to Nazi medical experimentation, particularly under Dr. Josef Mengele at Auschwitz. The museum serves as a space of memory, education, healing, and advocacy against hate.

Founding and Mission

CANDLES, an acronym for Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors, was founded in 1995 by Eva Mozes Kor, a Romanian-born Holocaust survivor and one of the few remaining Mengele twin survivors. Eva’s mission was twofold: to educate people about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust-especially the brutal medical experiments-and to spread a powerful message of healing through forgiveness.

Eva and her twin sister, Miriam, were ten years old when they were deported to Auschwitz with their family in 1944. Their parents and two older sisters were murdered almost immediately, while Eva and Miriam were chosen for medical experimentation. The museum not only documents their ordeal but also highlights Eva's remarkable journey from trauma to resilience and forgiveness.

Historical Resilience

In November 2003, the original CANDLES Museum was destroyed by an arsonist in what was later confirmed to be a hate crime. The community and supporters rallied, and in 2005, the museum was rebuilt and reopened. This act of defiance and renewal underscored the museum’s foundational themes of perseverance, justice, and the importance of education in fighting prejudice.

Following Eva Kor’s death in 2019, the museum reaffirmed its mission, preserving her legacy and continuing to build on her efforts to promote moral courage and social awareness.

Exhibits and Interpretive Experience

The museum is intimate in size but expansive in emotional and intellectual impact. It features several permanent and rotating exhibits that present the Holocaust through both global and deeply personal lenses.

1. Choices: The Holocaust Through Eva’s Story

This signature exhibit follows Eva Kor's life from her early years in rural Romania to the horrors of Auschwitz, her liberation, and her transformation into a human rights activist. It includes photographs, diary entries, artifacts, and video testimony. The narrative is structured around the concept of choices-those made by perpetrators, bystanders, victims, and survivors-and encourages visitors to reflect on their own moral decisions.

2. The Rise of Nazi Power and Dehumanization

This section explores how the Nazi Party gained power and systematically dehumanized entire groups of people. It includes powerful imagery, propaganda materials, documentation of anti-Semitic laws, and first-person accounts from Jews, Roma, disabled individuals, and political prisoners who were targeted.

3. Mengele’s Twins

Here, the museum delves into the specific subject of the Nazi twin experiments. Through Eva’s firsthand descriptions, visitors learn how she and her sister were examined, injected with unknown substances, and denied medical treatment. This section is detailed and emotionally intense, offering an uncompromising look at medical ethics violations and their human cost.

4. Firebombing Memorial

This exhibit commemorates the 2003 arson attack on the museum. Artifacts recovered from the ashes-burnt display panels, melted glass, charred books-are preserved here as reminders of the continuing dangers of hate and denial.

5. Dimensions in Testimony

This cutting-edge interactive exhibit uses 3D hologram technology and artificial intelligence to allow visitors to "converse" with a virtual Eva Kor and other survivors. Pre-recorded video responses allow participants to ask questions and receive nuanced answers, providing a deeply human, engaging educational experience.

Educational Outreach

Education is the core purpose of CANDLES. The museum offers a wide range of programs for teachers, students, and community groups:

Field Trips & School Tours: Tailored for upper-elementary through high school students, these guided visits include age-appropriate discussions on tolerance, critical thinking, and the consequences of hatred.

Educator Workshops: These professional development programs equip teachers with historical content, survivor testimony, and pedagogical strategies for teaching difficult histories.

Auschwitz Trips: The museum organizes annual educational journeys to Auschwitz for students, teachers, and the general public. These guided experiences offer a powerful opportunity to witness Holocaust history at its most authentic and emotionally affecting sites.

Lecture Series & Community Events: The museum regularly hosts public talks by historians, ethicists, and survivors, along with community dialogues addressing antisemitism, racism, and genocide prevention.

Visitor Information

Address: 1532 S. 3rd Street, Terre Haute, IN 47802

Operating Hours:

Thursday to Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Monday to Wednesday: Open by reservation for group tours or educational visits

Admission Fees:

Adults: $8

Seniors/Veterans: $7

Students: $5

Children under 6: Not recommended

Museum Members: Free

Security and Accessibility:

The museum is ADA-compliant and equipped for mobility-impaired visitors.

Bags are checked at the entrance, and firearms or weapons are prohibited.

Philosophy of Forgiveness

One of the most defining aspects of the museum is its emphasis on forgiveness. Eva Kor made headlines-and sparked debate-by publicly forgiving the Nazis who had experimented on her. She did not excuse their crimes, but argued that forgiveness allowed her to reclaim control over her life and to free herself from the burden of hatred. This message is woven throughout the museum’s narrative and is especially impactful for younger visitors.

The museum does not compel visitors to agree with Eva’s personal philosophy, but it presents it as a lens for exploring themes of justice, trauma, and healing.

Cultural and Ethical Importance

The CANDLES Holocaust Museum is more than a memorial to the dead-it is a living institution designed to challenge visitors to think critically and compassionately about the world they live in. By blending history, technology, and survivor testimony, the museum encourages dialogue about human rights, scientific ethics, and moral courage.

As Indiana’s only Holocaust museum, it plays a critical role in regional and national education on genocide and intolerance. It also stands as an enduring reminder of what can happen when silence, apathy, or blind obedience go unchallenged.

Conclusion

The CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center offers a uniquely personal and deeply moving approach to Holocaust education. Founded by a survivor who turned her pain into a mission for understanding and compassion, the museum educates not just about history, but about how we can shape the future through knowledge, empathy, and moral action. It remains a powerful and necessary space for reflection, learning, and change.