Jewish Historical Museum, Amsterdam 
Exterior of the Great Synagogue of Amsterdam, now enclosed.
For many more views, see our Jewish Museum Photo Gallery.
Lower floor of the Jewish Historical Museum, once the Great Synagogue.
Torah scroll displayed on the bima, or reading platform.
Multimedia and interactive displays bring the exhibits to life.
Decorated scroll for "Counting the Omer" between Passover and Shavuot.
The museum includes historical photos and documents, including this 1953
photo showing post-war destruction and Holocaust documents.
Interactive satellite map of the Jewish Museum in Amsterdam. For a
larger view, see our Amsterdam Map or Google Earth download.
The Jewish Historical Museum (Joods Historisch Museum) is a fine Jewish museum in the heart of Amsterdam's old Jewish Quarter. Housed in a grand 17th-century synagogue complex, the museum displays Jewish religious objects as well as Jewish art, historical artifacts, and multimedia presentations.
History
The Jewish Museum is housed in a complex of four Ashkenazi synagogues dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 17th century, Ashkenazi Jews began fleeing the pogroms in Central and Eastern Europe and many found refuge in the tolerant Dutch Republic.
A wealthy Sephardic community (from Spain and Portugal) was already settled here, and resented the increased competition imposed by their often poorer brethren. The two communities remained generally separate, with the Sephardi worshipping at the nearby Portuguese Synagogue (completed 1675).
The Ashkenazi built several synagogues in Amsterdam, four of which make up the museum complex:
- Obbene Sjoel (Upstairs Synagogue, 1686), with bookshop and café
- Grote Sjoel (Great Synagogue, 1671), restored and displaying religious and ceremonial exhibits
- Dritt Sjoel (Third Synagogue, 1700)
- Neie Sjoel (New Synagogue, 1752), housing exhibits on the theme of Jewish identity
The Jewish community that filled these synagogues thrived in religious freedom until Nazi occupation (1940) and World War II, when the vast majority of Amsterdam's Jews were killed and the synagogues were plundered. Before the Nazis arrived, 120,000 Jews lived in Amsterdam; after the war only 20,000 Jews were left in all of the Netherlands.
In 1987, the four Ashkenazi synagogues were restored and skillfully combined with new glass and steel architecture to form a world-class museum of Jewish history.
What to See
The Jewish Historical Museum documents the 400-year history of the Jewish people in Amsterdam and the Netherlands, covering themes such as Jewish identity, religion and culture as well as Jewish history in the Netherlands..
Stars of the collection include an 18th-century Sephardic Torah Mantle, a carved wood Ark dating from 1791, and the autobiographical works of Berlin artist Charlotte Solomon (1917-43).
Artifacts such as these are accompanied by photographs, artworks, interactive displays, historical videos, and a study room with a library, all of which combine to give visitors insight into the Jewish way of life.
The museum also includes a kosher cafe, which makes a great place for a snack or light lunch even for those not visiting the museum: it is quiet, inexpensive and serves good food.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Joods Historisch Museum; Jewish Historical Museum |
| Categories: | Jewish museum; synagogue |
| Address: | Jonas Daniël Meijerplein 2-4, Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Location: | Waterlooplein (Jewish Quarter) |
| Phone: | 020/626-9945 |
| URL: | www.jhm.nl |
| Tram: | 9 or 14 to Waterlooplein |
| Hours: | Daily 11am-5pm. Closed Yom Kippur. |
| Cost: | 6.50€ adults, 4€ seniors, 3€ children 13-17, 2€ children 6-12, children under 6 free |
| Photography: | Permitted |
Travel Resources
- Amsterdam Map - our interactive city map plus links to more maps
- Amsterdam Guided Tours - sightseeing tours and day trips
- Amsterdam Hostels - search and book budget lodgings
- Amsterdam Hotel Reviews - unbiased reviews and price comparisons
- Amsterdam Car Rentals - explore Holland with your own wheels
- Amsterdam Travel Forum - tips, answers and advice on Amsterdam
Article Sources
- Personal visit (November 2006).
- Joods Historisch Museum (Jewish Historical Museum) - Frommer's
- Joods Historisch Museum - Fodor's
