Building a new museum in Portugal is a significant long-term commitment that often spans 10 years and in some cases thirty, as it involves architectural designs, extensive planning. While a museum can rely on an existing site, development of new gallery spaces and urban integration takes many years of planning.

There are 37 museums in Portugal that receive more than 50,000 visitors per year, out of 476 active museums tracked nationwide.While a large portion of cultural visits in Portugal is heavily dominated by monuments and palaces such as the Jerónimos Monastery or Pena Palace, a distinct group of dedicated art, history, and specialized museums exceed this 50,000-visitor threshold. One such case is the Porto Holocaust Museum.

Two months and 10 days

October 15, 2020: The leadership of the Jewish Community of Porto debated the possibility of building and inaugurating a museum dedicated to teaching about the Holocaust, particularly focused on attracting classes from Portuguese schools. The decision was made. The organization imposed this important mission upon itself. The coronavirus pandemic was arriving in force, workers fell ill, and yet, the museum was built and inaugurated on December 25 of the same year. Two months and 10 days, from the idea to the inauguration.

On December 25th society was celebrating the religious holiday of Christmas. The Museum attracted only the Jewish community, not the general public, much less teenagers from schools. However, for the Jewish community, that date was also important, as it corresponded to the fast of Tebet, a long day of religious services and fasting. This day is known as Asara B'Tevet, and it remembers the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.

The total number of visitors to the Porto Holocaust Museum between 2021 and 2026 far exceeds 300,000 people, particularly teenagers, who make up almost the entire clientele. Furthermore, they pay nothing for their visit, and often the museum pays for the transportation of entire classes that schools cannot afford. On special occasions, the museum receives up to 2,500 students from Portuguese schools in a single day.

The Porto Holocausto Museum is singular in that it is managed by a religious organization, the Jewish Community of Porto, and is administered by members of the local community whose families were victims of the Holocaust to varying degrees.

International Commitments

Portugal has strong international commitments to Holocaust education, primarily through its membership in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). This commitment entails promoting education, research, and remembrance to fight antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and to prevent future genocides. However, the State and other small private organizations have achieved little of relevance in relation to these obligations, beyond small initiatives that gather mere dozens of people and that barely surpass mediocrity in terms of results. The Porto Holocaust Museum practically has a monopoly on Holocaust education in Portugal.