Stories from a Family Album is an exhibition built around eight themes, using archival images and personal interviews to present Jewish life over the past century. It tells the stories of everyday people who could have been our neighbors—bakers, factory workers, teachers, nurses. These are compelling stories of childhood, school years, love, marriage, parenthood, and how some managed to survive the horrors of the Holocaust and rebuild their lives. Like flipping through a giant family photo album, visitors will encounter stories that may make them smile, reflect, or feel deeply moved.
The exhibition consists of nine panels, each approximately 2.5 meters wide and 240 cm high. With images and texts on both sides, it’s important that the panels are displayed in a space where visitors can walk around them comfortably.
Invite the exhibition to your school—with peer-guide training!
Becoming a student tour guide is a unique and memorable experience. Instead of simply viewing the exhibition, students actively lead their peers through it, highlighting stories and insights that resonate with them personally. In the process, they explore an important chapter of 20th-century history while developing valuable presentation and communication skills.
The exhibition is available to schools with accompanying peer-guide training. The training is conducted by Centropa staff for groups of 15–18 students (grades 9–12). This interactive, one-day program (approximately 8 hours including breaks) can also count toward students’ School Community Service hours. During the session, students explore key moments of 20th-century Hungarian history, dive into Centropa’s collected family stories, learn about the richness of Jewish culture and identity, get to know the exhibition in depth, and prepare to become guides.
If you’re interested in the program or have further questions, please contact Sára Szilágyi at szilagyi [at] centropa.org (szilagyi[at]centropa[dot]org) or click the Host this program button to get in touch.
