Jewish Historical Museum
The Jewish Historical Museum Foundation was established on
23 May 1930 for the purpose of 'collecting and exhibiting that
which presents a picture of Jewish life in general and Dutch Jewish
life in particular, in the broadest sense of these terms;
discussing in meetings everything related to this; and making use
of all such means to promote Jewish art and learning'.
This mission statement still applies today, although with slight changes in emphasis. For instance, over the years the JHM has decided to devote more energy to collecting the work of Dutch Jewish artists and non-Jewish artists who dealt with Jewish themes. The donation of Charlotte Salomon's Life? or Theatre? to the museum greatly enhanced this part of the collection. Another shift in emphasis took place with the successful exhibition Pedlar, Middleman, Manufacturer: Jewish Enterprises and Entrepreneurs in Holland, 1796-1940.
Since the museum was founded, some 11,000 objects have been added to the collection. A small selection is on display in the permanent exhibitions Religion, History of the Jews in the Netherlands 1600-1900, and History of the Jews in the Netherlands 1900-The Present Day. In addition, the Resource Centre holds approximately 43,000 books, brochures, documents, photographs, and audiovisual titles. The JHM Children's Museum features the permanent exhibition The Hollander family home.
JHM Children's Museum
In December 2006, the Jewish Historical Museum opened the
JHM Children's Museum. Housed in
one of the four synagogues, it has three levels and is designed as
the home of a Jewish family, the Hollanders. In
the eight rooms of the house, children aged 6 to 12 are offered a
playful introduction to Jewish life and traditions. The JHM
Children's Museum has its own website, where you can
visit a virtual version of the museum.
Hollandsche Schouwburg
The Hollandsche Schouwburg was built as a
theatre in 1892, but during the Second World War it was a
deportation centre for Jews. Today, the building is a monument to
the memory of those victims. In 1992, the Hollandsche Schouwburg
came under the management of the JHM. At that time, the Hollandsche
Schouwburg Foundation was established, and since then the mayor of
Amsterdam has always served as its chairman. The monument contains
a memorial wall, bearing the 6,700 family names of the 104,000
Dutch Jewish victims of the Second World War, and an educational
exhibition for young people. In the coming years, the Hollandsche
Schouwburg will be thoroughly renovated and expanded.
Portuguese Synagogue
De Portuguese Synagogue was built between
1671 and 1675 and is across the square from the JHM. In 2009, the
Hollandsche Schouwburg came under the management of the JHM. This
exceptional building is open to visitors and is still used for
religious services by the Sephardi community. From 2009 to 2011 it
will be under renovation. The Portuguese Synagogue's annexes house
the library Ets
Haim - Livraria Montezinos. During renovation, the collection
will be temporarily located in the Special Collections building of
the VU University library.