Metaphor was appointed in August 2018 to advise on masterplanning the exhibition spaces within the competition-winning design produced by the David Adjaye and Ron Arad team. 

A masterplan has to be seen as a roadmap for future development. It paints a picture of the entire project, the visitor experience, and its programming, providing a snapshot of how the content is distributed across the spaces. It is not set in stone. It is roadmap, a pathway - no more, no less. 

All exhibitions take visitors on a journey, a journey through which a story unfolds. The UKHM’s story is set within the confines and genius loci of Westminster, the seat of UK Government. It is from here that we construct a narrative that remembers, explores and understands the multiple meanings of the Holocaust specifically in relation to the role of governments, the British response, democratic action, accountability, what people knew and how they responded, and the influence of the media of the day. 

Making the exhibition media-rich rather than object-rich is a natural consequence of this interpretative strategy and the shaping of the evolving narrative responding to the supporting historical research and evidence. 

This is not to say that there will be no objects in the exhibition. There will – very powerful objects. However, these objects will be carefully chosen, unique, and fit perfectly to specific points in the story.