Skip to main content
A group of people.

How Our Museum Came to Be

...And What Has Happened Since

The idea to found a Jewish museum originated in West Berlin in the period before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The journey from the basic idea to the design of the museum’s permanent exhibition was a long one marked by many disputes. The controversies also reflect the change in the perception of Jewish history against the backdrop of the Holocaust.

The concept, founding, and opening of the Jewish Museum Berlin is largely thanks to the political initiative and commitment of individuals. Many sponsors and donors contributed to establishing and expanding the collection.

Here is an extensive feature article on the history behind our museum’s founding and the political developments that gave it the form it has today. If you can read German and are interested in learning more details about the political history of how we came to be (or prefer to hold a book in your hands), take a look at the volume Von der Hauptstadtposse zur Erfolgsgeschichte (From a Berlin Farce to a Success Story) by Daniel Bussenius (more...).

History of the Museum: Ideas, Debates, Decisions, Inauguration (5)

Links to other topics that may be of interest to you

Share, Newsletter, Feedback