Jewish Children's Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 2004 |
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| Location | 792 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York |
| Public transit access | Subway:    trains at Kingston AvenueB17 to Eastern Parkway (stops two blocks east) B43 to Union Street |
The Jewish Children's Museum is the largest Jewish-themed children's museum in the United States. It helps kids from all backgrounds learn about Jewish culture. It teaches understanding and respect for others.
The museum has cool exhibits that teach you things while you play. Many of them use interactive screens and games. For example, there's a mini-golf course on the roof. Each hole shows a different part of Jewish life.
You can find the museum in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. It's close to the main building of the Lubavitch Jewish community. An architect named Steve H. Wilkowski helped build it. The museum first opened its doors in 2004.
In 2005, the museum received a large grant. This money came from the Carnegie Corporation. It was part of a $20 million donation from New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Why the Museum Was Built
The museum was created to help children learn about their neighbors. It was built after some difficult events in the community. These events included a time of unrest in Crown Heights in 1991. Also, a 16-year-old student named Ari Halberstam was killed in 1994.
The museum was designed to be a teaching tool. It helps local children better understand different cultures.
Planning the Exhibits
Many people helped plan what would be in the museum. Religious and non-religious teachers gave their ideas. The museum's leaders, who are Orthodox Jewish, made the final decisions.
Devorah Halberstam, Ari's mother, played a big part in starting the museum. The museum is officially dedicated to Ari's memory.
The front of the museum has a giant picture. It's made up of many smaller pictures of children. When you look at it from far away, all the small pictures form one big picture of a child.
Cool Facts About the Museum
- The Jewish Children's Museum was designed by Gwathmey, Siegel and Associates Architects.
- Building the museum cost about $35 million. More money was planned for new exhibits on the fourth floor.
- The museum won an award in 2006. It was called the Building Brooklyn Award. They won it for their design and how they helped the community.
- More than 250,000 people visited the museum in its first year.
- Besides its interactive exhibits, the museum has many other features. It has a Kosher restaurant and a cafe. There's also a gift shop, a social hall, and a theater. You can find a game show studio, an arts and crafts center, and computer rooms too.
