A new pop-up exhibition at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History is dedicated to commemorating the devastating events that unfolded a year ago at Israel’s Nova Music Festival, when Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage .
The installation, titled “The Moment Music Stood Still,” is a pop-up, traveling version of the larger Los Angeles exhibition.
Visitors entering the Weitzman’s fifth-floor exhibit are greeted by items that once belonged to festival goers, such as tents, blankets and personal belongings left behind during the attack. Through artifacts, videos from survivors and videos showing real scenes from the festival site, the exhibition provides a moving look at the festival and the violent events of October 7, 2023. The museum advises guests to be at least 16 years old to view this to view the free exhibition.
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“This exhibition is about bearing witness,” said Emily August, the museum’s chief public engagement officer. “This is an opportunity for the public to see what they went through in the victims’ own words and testimonies.”
One of the most profound moments in the exhibition is a display of portable bathrooms – complete with bullet holes – where festivalgoers tried to hide while Hamas terrorists shot at them.
“It’s as heartbreaking as it is frightening,” said Randi Eisen, a visitor to the exhibit. “It’s something I wish more people would see.”
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Outside the museum, two burned-out cars from the destruction are visible to passersby, giving everyone a glimpse of the aftermath of the attack even if they don’t make it inside.
Tamara Haskin, another visitor, said the exhibit moved her.
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“It’s important that everyone sees what happened so it never happens again,” Haskin said.
The exhibition ends with a hopeful message: a neon sign with the text ‘We will dance again’.
“It is ultimately a story of resilience. The Jews were not destroyed on October 7,” August said. “Jews will heal, they will come together, and they will remain a vital, vibrant, and diverse people making meaningful contributions to society.”
Opening hours of the Nova exhibition
The museum will be open all week. Museum opening hours are the same as special exhibition opening hours, unless otherwise stated. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing time.
- Monday October 7: 1:00 PM – 7:30 PM *Museum open 10:00 AM – 7:30 PM*
- Tuesday, October 8: 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m
- Wednesday, October 9: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m
- Thursday, October 10: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m
- Friday, October 11: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m
- Saturday, October 12: Closed for Yom Kippur
- Sunday October 13: 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM
