The Florida Holocaust Museum has been closed for nearly a year, undergoing extensive renovations. While the reopening this September promises modernized exhibits and expanded educational programs, there’s a deeper reason driving the overhaul: safety.

What they’re saying:

“In a very, very sad way, you say, ‘I’m shocked, but I’m not surprised,’ because we’ve seen this before,” said Mike Igel, CEO of the Florida Holocaust Museum.

Igel’s words come in the wake of a tragic incident in Washington, D.C., where two Israeli embassy employees were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum after attending an event. Authorities say the shooter shouted “Free Palestine” during the attack, which is now being investigated as both an act of terror and a hate crime.

“Those individuals had nothing to do with global politics,” said Igel. “And they were killed. That’s not right.”

Dig deeper:

The shooting echoes a troubling rise in antisemitic violence across the country—something the Florida Holocaust Museum has felt even during its closure. Despite locked doors and construction signs, threats have continued.

“We would love to be able to spend that dollar instead of bulletproof glass on educating the next generation,” Igel said. “But the world isn’t allowing that. It is sad and frustrating that antisemitism forces museums related to Jews and Judaism to spend on security when every dollar should fund education, commemoration, pride, and advocacy,” he said.

The museum’s renovation project includes advanced security upgrades—some visible, many not. Igel emphasized that the new facility aims to create a space where visitors can feel safe, even amid escalating threats.

“We make it so people don’t have to be worried about their safety,” he said. “But it’s because we’re vigilant.

On Thursday, Igel said he was in communication with directors of other Jewish museums nationwide regarding safety and response.

At a press conference Thursday night, federal officials confirmed the D.C. shooting is being treated as a hate crime. U.S. Attorney  Jeanine Pirro spoke solemnly: “These kinds of cases remind us of what happened in the past—and that we cannot go back.”

That philosophy underpins everything the Florida Holocaust Museum stands for. More than just preserving history, it teaches the vital lessons of the Holocaust—lessons that are increasingly relevant today.

“I know my family’s story,” said Igel. “It involves non-Jewish people who were executed for hiding my grandparents and not giving up their whereabouts.”

Despite the fear, despite the threats, the museum presses on.

“We have to press on,” said Igel. “Because we have to make a world where this isn’t happening.”

What’s next:

Police in D.C. say the suspected shooter acted alone but have increased patrols around synagogues and Jewish-affiliated institutions as a precaution.