About the Museum

The Jewish Museum is truly unique. London’s only museum dedicated to the history and heritage of a cultural minority or individual faith - in one of the world’s most multicultural cities - we have strong relevance to many of the most important social issues facing the Britain today.

Mission

The Jewish Museum aims to explore and preserve Jewish heritage, celebrate diversity and challenge prejudice.

Mandate

The Jewish Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits material relating to Jewish history, culture and religious life. It draws on the Jewish experience as a focus for the exploration of identity in a multicultural society, actively engaging with the shared experiences represented in the diverse cultural heritage of London, Britain and the wider world. As a forum for education, learning and interfaith dialogue, the Museum encourages understanding and respect by challenging stereotypes and combating prejudice in all its forms.

History

Founded in 1932, the Jewish Museum’s initial home was in Woburn House in Bloomsbury. Over the years, the Museum has built up one of the world's finest collections of Jewish ceremonial art, awarded Designated status by the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council in recognition of their outstanding national importance.

In 1995 the Jewish Museum relocated to an elegant, early Victorian listed building in the vibrant neighbourhood of Camden Town. In the same year it amalgamated, on a two-site basis, with the former London Museum of Jewish Life, in Finchley, North London.

The London Museum of Jewish Life was founded in 1983 as the Museum of the Jewish East End, with the aim of rescuing and preserving the disappearing heritage of London's East End - the heartland of Jewish settlement in Britain. While the East End has remained an important focus, the Museum expanded to reflect the diverse roots and social history of Jewish people across London, including the experiences of refugees from Nazism. It also developed an acclaimed programme of Holocaust and anti-racist education.

Following the amalgamation, it became a priority to expand the Museum to create additional facilities and bring together the collections, activities and displays divided between its Camden Town and Finchley locations.

Development Project

The expansion of the Museum has now been made possible by the purchase of a four storey former piano factory in Parkway, adjoining its flagship premises in Camden Town, Combining this building with the current Camden Town premises will triple the Museum's space at this site. In December 2005 the Heritage Lottery Fund approved a grant award of £4.2 million towards the Jewish Museum Development Project, and work began on detailing the plans for development and raising the partnership funding needed to create a new Museum for the 21st century.

In early 2007 planning permission for the project was granted and the Heritage Lottery Fund approved the final designs for the development, enabling building work to start on site in November 2007.

The Museum is now seeking to raise funds, through its New Building Appeal, to support and sustain the Museum’s vital programme of work, following the expansion. Funding is also needed for its enhanced programme of education and special exhibitions.