Manchester Jewish Museum
Address
Phone
History
Manchester Jewish Museum is located in a former Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue on Cheetham Hill Road. It is the only Jewish Museum outside London and is housed in the oldest surviving synagogue building in Manchester, completed in 1874. The Museum is a registered charity (Registered Charity No. 508278). Since the building became redundant through the movement of the Jewish population away from the area, it has been completely restored, returned to its former glory and listed Grade II*. More information about the building's history.With a compelling history to tell, the building needed a new purpose and in 1984 it re-opened as a Museum. The Museum now chronicles the lives of Jewish people in Manchester and their contribution to making the city what it is today.
Building(s)
On Friday 2 July 2021 the museum was reopened with a building twice the size as before. The synagogue has also been repaired, refurbished and its original decorative features reinstated.
Archival and Other Holdings
The Museum's collection is made up of objects, documents, photographs and oral histories charting the many stories and experiences of Manchester Jewish life. By doing so we hope to promote understanding in the wider community and preserve the heritage of the Jewish community here. We are also dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust through our exhibitions and collecting policy. Our main oral history collection consists of interviews given by Jewish people living in Manchester from the late 1970’s to the mid 1980’s. The topics covered in the interviews include immigration, home and school life, work, politics, anti-Semitism, war and religion. Since the museum opened we have recorded interviews with prominent members of the Jewish community in the 1980’s and1990’s and we have also collected recording Jewish musical performances, lectures and events held in the community. We also hold many interviews with Holocaust survivors and refugees from Nazism in the 1930s. Most of the testimonies are held on cassette tape but we are currently in the process of digitizing the collection. Copies of the interviews can be obtained on request.
Finding Aids, Guides, and Publication
The Manchester Jewish Museum is hoping to launch a fully-searchable online collection in 2022 where you will be able to explore and research the histories and personal stories of Manchester’s diverse Jewish communities
Opening Times
Seven days a week from 10am to 5pm, with final admission at 4pm.
Accessibility
The museum is becoming more accessible with what3words. Find the precise location of the entrance at map.w3w.co/pills.legal.dent This 3 word address corresponds to an exact location within a 3m accuracy. Tap the link or search “pills.legal.dent” in the What3Words app to find the museum.
The new building includes step free access to the entrance via a ramp, a lift to the first floor, level access throughout the ground floor and accessible gender neutral toilets.
There is a wheelchair available to hire, free of charge, during your visit. This can be booked via ticketing@manchesterjewishmuseum.com, calling 0161 834 9879 or asking at the Welcome Desk on arrival. The wheelchair was kindly purchased as a gift by Rosemary and Herzl Hamburger.
There is a hearing induction loop in the atrium, gallery, learning studio and kitchen, and the ground floor of the synagogue.
There is free parking on all streets around the museum. Blue badge holders can park for up to three hours on any single or double yellow line so long as you aren’t blocking any access to loading areas. For further information on disabled parking visit the Manchester City Council website.
If you have any access queries, please email the museum at tickets@manchesterjewishmuseum.com
Research Services
The collection store is open to the public for research enquiries. Access is available by appointment only, please email curator Alex Cropper to arrange your booking: curator@manchesterjewishmuseum.com