Exclusive Canadian showing of Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. opens at ROM
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TORONTO, January 8, 2025
TORONTO, January 8, 2025 – Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) will present the internationally touring exhibition Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. for its exclusive run in Canada from January 10, 2025, to September 1, 2025. This powerful exhibition focuses on the history and legacy of Auschwitz – the most significant site of the Holocaust.
Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. opens at ROM ahead of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. Created by Musealia and co-produced with the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, the exhibition will include more than 500 original objects – most never before seen in Canada.
“Arriving on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, this groundbreaking exhibition is unprecedented both in scale and scope,” said Josh Basseches, ROM Director & CEO. “From a single discarded shoe to the searing testimony of survivors, Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. provides a comprehensive look at one of the darkest moments of the 20th century. It is also, in the tradition of ROM, a call to understand the past, so that together we can shape a shared future.”
Auschwitz became a system of concentration and extermination camps in which over 1 million Jews were systematically killed alongside tens of thousands of others, including Poles, Romani, and Soviet prisoners of war.
Developed by an international panel of curators and historians, the exhibition marks the first time a collection this immense has come together to tell the story of Auschwitz. In addition to the hundreds of authentic items from the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, special loans are also included from over 20 other major institutions and private collections around the world.
Piotr Cywiński, Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, noted, “On a universal and symbolic level, Auschwitz played a pivotal role in shaping the identity of the world after WWII. The belief that humanity must prevent the recurrence of events like the Holocaust and the resurrection of places like Auschwitz was the cornerstone of post-war political changes. These principles of respecting others and promoting peace should be in everyone’s hearts and minds as we approach the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.”
This acclaimed exhibition explores the dual identity of the Auschwitz camp complex as a physical setting – the largest documented mass murder site in human history – and as a symbol of the borderless manifestation of hatred and human atrocity. Physical objects and archival records provide a contextual framework for the socio-political landscape in Europe before the Auschwitz camp, as well as its day-to-day environment and continued legacy, raising awareness of the machinations at work in realizing such systemic barbarism.
“At the heart of this project is the idea of bringing the history of Auschwitz, in all its complexity, to the world,” explained Luis Ferreiro, Director of Musealia. “The exhibition is a powerful opportunity to understand how such a place could have come to exist, how these events could happen, and what it means for us today. It is also a moral urgency to remember those who lost their lives at Auschwitz.”
Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. was curated by world-renowned scholars Robert Jan van Pelt, Michael Berenbaum, and Paul Salmons, in collaboration with historians and curators from the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, headed by Piotr Setkiewicz. Lead curator Jan van Pelt previously co-curated The Evidence Room exhibition at ROM in 2017 and is recognized as one of the leading international authorities on the history of Auschwitz.
“This exhibition is a sobering reminder of the horrific realities of the Holocaust – the lives stolen and the abominable process of systemic dehumanization – and brings into focus the necessity for us, as a society, to be ever-vigilant in upholding our perennial pledge of ‘never again,’” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “As we mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, I would like to thank ROM and its partners for bringing this important international exhibition to Ontario.”
Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. will run at ROM from January 10 to September 1, 2025. The ROM presentation is part of an international tour which began in 2017 and has included stops to date in Madrid, Spain; Malmo, Sweden; and Los Angeles, Boston, and New York in the U.S.
“For our Toronto Jewish community, the Holocaust and the genocidal antisemitism that led to it touched so many of our families. We are honoured to support this remarkable exhibition, which sheds unique light on what they experienced and the lessons for all of us today. This collaboration with the ROM and other partners is an example of the power of knowledge to ensure the horrors of the past are never forgotten and never repeated,” said Ken Tanenbaum, Chair, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.
Education & learning
During the exhibition, ROM will provide enhanced learning offerings about the Holocaust through unique, curriculum-aligned school visit tours and experiences. Developed in partnership with the Toronto Holocaust Museum – ROM's exhibition Education Partner – this educational programming will ensure students and educators gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and the actions leading to it.
To further support access for students, ROM will offer free admission for students in Grades 6 to 12 participating in organized visits from Ontario-based schools. Teacher training materials and online school learning resources will also be offered.
ROM is committed to helping build a shared future based on cross-cultural understanding and empathy. In February, ROM will introduce a series of gallery activity stations designed to encourage self-reflection on bias and help build connection and understanding. Visitors will explore histories of objects in the galleries, contribute to a collaborative art installation, and compare ways of connecting with works of art. The stations, accessible to all Museum visitors, are designed to inspire contemplation and discussion through the diversity of ROM’s collections.
Programs & events
During the run of the exhibition, ROM will present a series of engaging programs that explore important themes in Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away.
- For International Holocaust Remembrance Day – and to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz camp – ROM Speaks welcomes renowned actor Saul Rubinek on January 27 in a performance of excerpts from his new play, All in the Telling, followed by a fireside chat with producer and writer Michael Hirsh about their experiences as children of Holocaust survivors.
- For International Women’s Day, ROM will host an online event on March 6, examining the role Jewish women played in resisting oppression in Nazi-occupied Europe. Led by Toronto Holocaust Museum curator Rachel Libman, this conversation will explore the experiences of researchers Judith Rosenbaum and Sara Horowitz in uncovering these voices and bringing their stories of resilience and resistance to light.
- On May 27, ROM Speaks presents the Royal Conservatory of Music’s ARC Ensemble for a special performance as part of the group’s Music in Exile series, featuring music by Polish-Jewish composer and violinist Simon Laks, a Holocaust survivor. ARC artistic director Simon Wynberg will discuss the process of uncovering Laks’s musical compositions, which were suppressed and marginalized under the Nazi regime.
Membership
ROM members will have the first opportunity to visit Auschwitz. Not long Ago. Not far away. on Thursday, January 9, and Saturday, January 11. Tickets are free for ROM Members. Visit joinROM.ca for more information about ROM membership.
Audio guides
Free audio guides to the exhibition are available for visitors upon arrival. Printed guides will also be available upon request.
For more information about Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away., please visit the website here.
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Image credit: A woman’s dress shoe belonging to an unknown deportee to Auschwitz (1940s). Original in the collection of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. Image © Musealia.
This exhibition is also generously supported by the Royal Exhibitions Circle.
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About ROM
Opened in 1914, ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) showcases art, culture, and nature from around the world and across the ages. Today, ROM houses more than 18 million objects, from Egyptian mummies to contemporary sculpture, from meteorites to dinosaurs. ROM is the most visited museum in Canada and one of the top ten museums in North America. It is also the country’s preeminent field research institute, with a diverse range of experts who help us understand the past, make sense of the present, and shape a shared future. Just as impressive is ROM’s facility – a striking combination of heritage architecture and cutting-edge design, which marks the Museum as an iconic landmark and global cultural destination.
We live on in what we leave behind.
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, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, South Africa or Australia have hosted our exhibitions.
About the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum
Fulfilling the wish of survivors, on July 2, 1947, the Polish parliament created the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum on the site of two preserved parts of the former German Nazi camp: Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. The Memorial today includes Archives and Collections, and undertakes research, conservation, and publishing activities. It is, above all, an education center that teaches visitors about the history of Auschwitz. More than 2 million people visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum every year.
