Museum CEO Bernard Cherkasov said the renovation was driven by growing attendance that had strained the building's infrastructure. "Our museum's attendance has been going up and up and up," he said. "While our visitors were really connecting with the content, our infrastructure was actually bursting at the seams."

The redesign begins at the entrance, where visitors now encounter a larger welcome center where they can reserve tickets, book special exhibits, and get information in one place. Exhibition galleries are wider in most areas, providing more room for families, friends, and colleagues to process the content together.

"In a moment of crisis, people look to history for answers," Cherkasov said. "Our museum has answers to offer people."

The museum has also expanded how it presents history. Large images and captions now tell the key elements of stories for visitors seeking an overview of the Holocaust, while artifacts and detailed information remain available for those who want to learn every piece of history. Exhibits including "The Roots of Antisemitism" have been expanded to show that antisemitism did not begin with the Nazi party but had millennia-old roots in Europe.

One wall honors the many groups targeted during World War II beyond the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust. "The Nazis also targeted dozens of other categories of people: gay men and lesbians, the Roma and Sinti, Germans of African descent, political dissenters, Poles; the list goes on," Cherkasov said.

The renovation also highlights the resilience of survivors. Sharon Pitluk Silver, a survivor, called the renovation "bright, light and wonderful." She said the museum is needed now more than ever. "With the antisemitism that's plaguing the whole world right now, we need a place where people can become educated," she said.

Cherkasov said the museum's core message remains unchanged. "The Holocaust is not just the story of murder and victimhood," he said. "The Holocaust is also the story of resilience, strength, love and just an understanding that we all share humanity. This is what our museum tells the visitors who come here."

In Judaism, the number 18 symbolizes life. The museum had occupied the Skokie building for almost 18 years before the renovation, and its reopening after 18 months marks what Cherkasov described as a new life for the institution.

During the Skokie closure, the museum opened its Experience 360 location in the Loop, which will remain open through December.