Rock Falls High School to host Mobile Museum of Tolerance in May

ROCK FALLS – Rock Falls Township High School will host a unique educational experience, as the Mobile Museum of Tolerance rolls into town.

The traveling museum, which will not be open to the public, will be stationed at the school, 101 12th Ave., from Monday, May 5, through Thursday, May 8. The museum also will visit Rock Falls Middle School, 1701 12th Ave., on Friday, May 9.

The MMOT is the first-of-its-kind free traveling education center, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and interactive programming designed to fight antisemitism and all forms of hate, according to a news release. It was developed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center and modeled after the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.

Students and teachers will take part in immersive workshops focused on digital literacy, identifying and combating hate online and in person, and understanding the Holocaust within historical and modern contexts.

Each session will be led by a licensed Illinois educator using interactive technology and facilitated dialogue to engage participants in meaningful discussions about tolerance, empathy and human rights, according to the release.

The MMOT’s curriculum is endorsed by the Illinois State Board of Education and aligns with state learning standards. The workshops also are part of a broader partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Rights’ Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.

The MMOT also travels to libraries, colleges, synagogues, churches, police stations and community centers throughout the state.