As a tribute to the Jewish people and their struggle through the Holocaust, the Museum of Jewish Heritage opened in 1997. Located in Battery Park, the 112,000-sq. ft structure is shaped like a six-sided star to represent both the Star of David and the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust. In 2001, the museum expanded to include a state-of-the-art theater, classrooms, event space, additional exhibition space, and a library.
The museum is organized into three separate themes: Jewish Life A Century Ago, The War Against the Jews, and Jewish Renewal. The first exhibit shows Jewish customs and life around the world at the beginning of the 20th century. This floor of the museum explores the culture of the Jews, including the important, traditional events in their lives such as births, Bar Mitzvahs, and marriages. Using a variety of testimonial videos and recovered artifacts, the exhibit also sheds light on Jewish daily life, including typical occupations, synagogue attendance, community life, and holiday celebrations.
Up the escalator, the second floor displays "The War against the Jews," on the Jewish life and struggle during the Holocaust. The first exhibit presents the emergence of National Socialism in Germany and the rise of the Nazi Party. Part of this chilling collection is Heinrich Himmler's (Chief of the German Police at the time) personal copy of Hitler's Mein Kampf. Other artifacts reveal the banal evil of this period, such as the board game "Jews Out". Further along on the second floor, the exhibit takes you through the invasion of Poland and discusses life in the Jewish ghettos. Personifying the six million Jews who died during the Holocaust through individual pictures, the exhibit then discusses the liberation of the Jews and the end of the war.
The Jewish Renewal shows Jewish life in the years following World War II, including the birth of the state of Israel. Among these are 2000 photographs, 800 historical and cultural artifacts, and 24 original documentary films discussing information on displaced persons and continued anti-Semitism. The last display on this floor is a hexagonal shaped room with a Torah and representations of Jewish artifacts, meant to represent the past. This room opens up to a glistening view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a reminder of the present and the future for the Jewish people.
In addition to these ongoing exhibits, the museum hosts special shows, such as the recent "Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges" that explores the stories of the many Jews who fled Nazi Germany to come to America and teach at Black universities. Artifacts and stories examine the influence of war-time Jews on their students and the Civil Rights movement.
From every floor of the museum, you can view through the windows Andy Goldsworthy's Garden of Stones. The garden was planted by Goldsworthy as well as holocaust survivors and their families. Over time, the garden will continue to mature, and the trees will grow larger around the surrounding oversized stones. Safra Hall, the theater in the new addition to the building, hosts performances, films, and lectures that pertain to the subject of the museum.
Attraction Information
- Hours:
- Sunday through Tuesday and Thursday: 10am to 5:45pm
- Wednesday: 10am to 8pm
- Friday: 10am to 5pm (During Daylight Savings Time)
- Friday and the eve of Jewish Holidays: 10am to 3pm
- Closed Saturdays, Jewish Holidays, and Thanksgiving Day
- Admission:
- Adults: $12
- Seniors: $10
- Students: $7
- Children 12 and under: Free
- Free admission every Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm
- Note: This applies to general Museum admission only. There may be a separate admission price for public programs.
- Subway Stop:
- R, W, 1 trains to the Rector Street Station
- 4, 5 trains to the Bowling Green Station
- Contact:
- Location: Edmond J. Safra Plaza 36 Battery Place New York, NY
- Phone: 646-437-4200
- Website: www.mjhnyc.org
