The Jewish Museum

Recommends

TheTripChick

Joined 9 years ago

So much information but laid out so well, the museum truly guides you through the history of Judaism in a way that allows even those who don't know Jewish history intimately to get a great overview. We didn't make is on a Saturday, but it is nice that they offer free admission on Saturdays.

We really enjoyed the Houdini exhibit that is there currently - I had a general idea about Houdini but learned a whole lot that I hadn't known previously.

Well done!

Recommends

ericgrossmann

Joined 2 years ago

Land of Milk & Honey. Dubbed as the preeminent museum on Jewish culture in the States, the Jewish Museum in New York lives up to its reputation. Begin your visit to the Museum on the fourth floor and work your way down the permanent exhibition:

Recommends

Scoop NYC

Joined 4 years ago

Interesting but unfocused. There are lots of great tidbits at the Jewish Museum, but the institution never pulls everything together or probes anything really deeply.

The permanent exhibit begins with a history lesson that traces the Jews from their mirky beginnings before reliable history through the days of the two Jewish kingdoms on what's now Israel to their defeat and dispersal.

That history, along with some quick information about the religious side of Judaism, abruptly transforms into a large collection of art and artifacts made by and for Jews around the world, mostly in the 1700s and 1800s.

Both parts of the exhibition are interesting but both beg more questions than they answer. What percentage of the dispersed Jews ended up converting to the religions of their adopted lands? To what degree are today's Jews descendants of those original ones and to what degree are they later converts? Why did Jews flock to and excel at some crafts but not others?

You won't learn the answers here, but it's still worth a look through the collection.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

The history of a people is reflected through art from the past to the present.. The Scene
A renovation and expansion in 1993 replaced an ugly addition to the magnificent Warburg Mansion with a new wing matching the neo-Gothic design of the original detail for detail.

The Collection
The addition houses a two-floor exhibition that traces the history of the Jewish people through a multimedia timeline of ceremonial objects, artworks and other artifacts. The museum has been an important venue for modern and contemporary painting over the years, and it continues to mount insightful shows regularly. Other activities include lectures, concerts and educational programs for children.