Visit us At 5th and Market Streets on Independence Mall



About

Liberty Statue


Outside the Museum, Religious Liberty, a sculpture created by Moses Jacob Ezekiel for the 1876 Centennial Exposition, stands. Learn more about the sculpture here.

History of NMAJH

History - Establishing Communities Gallery

Established in 1976, and situated on Philadelphia's Independence Mall, the National Museum of American Jewish History is the only Museum in the nation dedicated exclusively to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience. The NMAJH was originally founded by the members of historic Congregation Mikveh Israel (established in 1740 and known as the "Synagogue of the American Revolution").

The Museum has long been a vital component in the cultural life of Philadelphia. During the course of its history, the NMAJH has attracted a broad regional audience to its public programs, while exploring American Jewish identity through lectures, panel discussions, authors' talks, films, children's activities, theater, and music. The Museum has displayed more than a hundred exhibitions in its first three decades-plus of existence. As the repository of the largest collection of Jewish Americana in the world, with more than 30,000 objects, the NMAJH has developed extensive institutional experience in preservation, conservation and collections management supporting the fulfillment of its mission to preserve the material culture of American Jews.