The Museum Since it Opened

The Jewish Museum Berlin has since established itself as a special institution on the German museum landscape. It is a lively center for German-Jewish history and culture and sees itself as a forum for research, discussion, and exchange of ideas, in short a museum for everyone – young and old, German and non-German, Jewish and non-Jewish.

As a foundation under public law, the Jewish Museum Berlin receives annual funding from the Federal Republic of Germany; the remaining funds are raised through donations and museum takings. Since 2002, the Prize for Understanding and Tolerance has been presented during the anniversary dinner with friends and supporters of the museum. The fundraising proceeds benefit the museum’s education work for children and young people.

Since it opened, the Jewish Museum Berlin has welcomed more than 700,000 visitors a year, that is about 2,000 every day.

The museum orients itself on its visitors’ interests, researched in a department with this as its sole purpose. A warm welcome by a young, friendly team of so-called "hosts" awaits visitors to the exhibition.

The permanent historical exhibition leads you on a journey of discovery through two millennia of German Jewish history. The exhibition covers an area of over 3,000 m², is regularly updated, and contains numerous interactive elements and media stations. Historico-cultural temporary exhibitions, contemporary art installations, and showcase presentations on a wide range of topics enrich the permanent exhibition. The multimedia Rafael Roth Learning Center invites visitors to discover German-Jewish history and culture at 20 computer terminals.

A special focus of the museum lies in the field of education: The extensive education program, the possibilities for research in library and archives, and the varied program of events are aimed at children, young people, and adults. Talks, concerts and readings are held in addition to guided tours and workshops. Each year features both a diverse Cultural Summer Program and a Hanukkah Market. Moreover, 2007 saw the launching of the education initiative "on.tour - The JMB Tours Schools", bringing the museum to schools in every state in the form of a tour bus with a mobile exhibition.

In 2012, a new building by Daniel Libeskind is scheduled to open: The Jewish Museum Berlin Academy. This will house the education and research programs to include a focus on migration and intercultural diversity.

A description of the Jewish Museum Berlin’s history and development can be downloaded as a pdf-file.