Developing a Virtual Field Trip at the Holocaust Center for Humanity

My name is Jessie Levine, and I am a rising senior majoring in Sociology and Environmental Studies. This summer, I had the privilege of interning at the Holocaust Center for Humanity in Seattle. If you are surprised to learn that Seattle has a Holocaust museum, you are not alone. So many people are surprised to learn about our small but mighty museum that the Center even has a sticker that playfully quips, “Seattle has a holocaust museum?” During the pandemic, the Center, like many institutions, created a virtual field trip (VFT) to continue reaching schools throughout the greater Seattle area. Once restrictions were lifted, in-person museum visits and classroom programs resumed, but the idea of a virtual field trip never fully disappeared.

The Center’s original VFT was a semi-live experience. Viewers could click through a digital scan of the museum, accessing stories of survivors and close-up images of artifacts. The tour could be self-guided or led live over Zoom by a museum docent. While this model worked during Covid, it faced the same challenge common to many virtual experiences: sustaining engagement. However, the Center and I both believed that the VFT did not just have to be an effective pandemic stopgap, but a medium to help the museum reach even more audiences.

Over the summer, I researched VFTs at a range of institutions—Holocaust-focused and otherwise. As a student who experienced the height of online learning, I was especially interested in how museums addressed the issue of engagement. Having firsthand knowledge of how easy it is to drift off during virtual (and even in-person) classes, I felt strongly about developing an experience that could truly hold an audience’s attention.

In our brainstorming process, we also sought inspiration from other organizations. One highlight was experiencing the Wing Luke Museum’s VFT in Seattle. Led virtually by Doan Hoang Dy, a member of their team, we were guided through the museum and then had the opportunity to ask her questions about the program. Their approach was creative, interactive and deeply engaging. To my surprise, the tour managed to bring the museum to life over Zoom in a way I hadn’t thought possible.

After visiting the Wing Luke Museum, our team left brimming with ideas and excitement. Seeing how immersive and effective a VFT could be deepened my commitment to this project and its possibilities.

Beyond the Wing Luke program, I explored other museums’ VFT models and began compiling a report of my findings. What stood out most was that live, guided experiences—like Wing Luke’s—proved to be the most engaging. They provided audiences with a richer connection to stories and artifacts while also expanding access far beyond the physical walls of a museum. For the Holocaust Center, this approach offers the chance to extend its reach, educate broader audiences, and continue honoring the memories and legacies of Holocaust survivors.

I feel especially passionate about this project, both as a student who has experienced the highs and lows of virtual learning and as a member of the last generation able to hear survivors’ stories firsthand. While the number of survivors continues to dwindle, their stories must not be lost. Museums like the Holocaust Center for Humanity now face the urgent challenge of teaching about the Holocaust in a world where denial persists and survivors’ voices will one day no longer be present. Programs like the Virtual Field Trip open new possibilities for Holocaust education, ensuring that the stories and lessons of survivors endure for future generations.