Bear Witness Before Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. Closes at ROM

TORONTO, August 7, 2025 – Visit the exhibition the National Post calls “at once stunning and numbing” before it leaves Canada. Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. closes at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) on September 1, 2025.

Created by Musealia and co-produced with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Memorial and Museum, Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. has inspired visitors to bear witness since ROM’s Canadian-exclusive presentation opened in January – coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

The most comprehensive exhibition to date on the history and legacy of the most significant site of the Holocaust – in which over 1 million Jews were systemically killed alongside tens of thousands of others (including Poles, Romani, and Soviet prisoners of war) – Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. includes more than 500 original objects, most never before seen in Canada.

A pair of shoes. A suitcase. A letter. These are not simply historic artifacts from one of the darkest chapters in human history, but personal objects holding important stories – as the Toronto Star noted: “poignant items that speak of not just hatred and death, but of hope amid the despair.” In viewing the exhibition, visitors are compelled to remember what was lost, and why we must learn from the past.

“From personal belongings to architectural remnants, Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. brings the reality of Auschwitz into sharp focus,” says Josh Basseches, ROM Director & CEO. “It’s an exhibition that has resonated deeply with our visitors, and as it prepares to close, we encourage everyone to take this final opportunity to see it for themselves.”

“Our goal has never been just to display objects, but to create a space for reflection where visitors can connect with the human stories behind them,” says Luis Ferreiro, Director of Musealia. “That this exhibition is being shown at the ROM, and embraced so profoundly by Canadian audiences, speaks to the universal relevance of remembering Auschwitz – inviting us to reflect not only on the past, but also on how its echoes still shape our present.”

Developed by a team of international curators and historians, the exhibition’s vast collection includes special loans from over 20 other major institutions and private collections from around the world in addition to the hundreds of authentic items from the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. The exhibition marks the first time a collection this immense has come together to tell the story of Auschwitz.

ROM’s presentation of this internationally touring exhibition – which began in 2017 and has included stops to date in Madrid, Spain; Malmö, Sweden; and Kansas City, Los Angeles, Boston, and New York in the U.S. – is the only opportunity to see Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. in Canada before it closes on September 1. 

To support access and opportunities for enhanced Holocaust education, the Museum offered free exhibition admission for students attending as part of organized visits from Ontario-based schools, in partnership with the Toronto Holocaust Museum, ROM’s exhibition Education Partner.

This unprecedented record of what happened at Auschwitz – and why it still matters – reminds us of the power of knowledge to ensure the horrors of the past are never forgotten and never repeated.

ROM’s presentation of this exhibition was made possible by Presenting Sponsors including the Azrieli Foundation, Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, The Hennick Family Foundation and The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation, along with Philanthropic Partner the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. For more information about Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away., please visit ROM’s website here.

ROMSpeaks: Jewish Café Culture
During the run of the exhibition, ROM has presented engaging programs that explore important themes in Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away.

The last ROMSpeaks event in this series will take place on August 26 and focus on Jewish café culture during wartime, featuring acclaimed Canadian performers Theresa Tova, Aviva Chernick, Lenka Lichtenberg, and Judith Lander, with musical director Fern Lindzon and host Ori Dagan. 

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, cafés in cities like Vienna, Berlin, and Paris served as gathering places for Jewish intellectuals, artists, and political dissidents – many of whom were targeted by the Nazis during the Second World War. Jazz music was later banned by the Nazis, spurring secret performances in cafés across Europe.

This event will showcase Jewish jazz and cabaret music from that era, highlighting Jewish resistance and the diverse styles of music from the time. The performance will be followed by a reception and an opportunity to view the exhibition.

Tickets are $40 ($36 for ROM Members) and are available online here.

Image credit: Installation view, Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. Photo: Cassandra Popescu.

This exhibition is also generously supported by the Royal Exhibition Circle.