Holocaust Museum Washington bans Pokémon Go over Koffing gas outrage

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., has banned the augmented reality game Pokémon Go from its premises after a visitor attempted to capture a Koffing—a Pokémon that emits poisonous gas—inside the museum. Andrew Hollinger, the museum's director of communications, told The Washington Post that while the institution generally supports technology and encourages visitors to use social media to share their experiences, this game 'far exceeds cultural boundaries.' The incident occurred shortly after the game's release in the United States in July 2016, when the global craze had already taken hold across all age groups. The museum's decision highlights the clash between immersive digital entertainment and the solemnity of memorial spaces dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust.