Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life facts for kids
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| Established | 1961 |
|---|---|
| Location | 2121 Allston Way Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States) |
| Type | Art museum, Jewish Heritage Museum |
The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life is a special museum in Berkeley, California. It shows the history, art, and culture of Jewish people. From 1961 until 2012, it was known as the Judah L. Magnes Museum.
The museum was started in 1961 by Seymour and Rebecca Fromer. It is named after Rabbi Judah L. Magnes, an important Jewish activist. Rabbi Magnes was from Oakland and helped start the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The Magnes Collection has over 30,000 Jewish items and old writings. This makes it the third largest collection of its kind in the United States. It's a great place to learn about Jewish traditions and stories.
In 2010, the museum decided to give its collection to the University of California, Berkeley. This means the university now helps display and protect these rare Jewish items. The collection moved from a smaller house to a much bigger building in downtown Berkeley. The museum officially reopened in its new home on January 22, 2012. That's when its name changed to the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life.
Contents
What Can You See at the Magnes?
The Magnes has many interesting things to explore. It holds a large collection of art and special objects used in Jewish traditions.
Rare Books and Western Jewish History
The museum has the Blumenthal Rare Book and Manuscript Library. This library is full of old and unique books and handwritten documents.
It also has the Western Jewish History Center (WJHC). This center collects information about Jewish communities in the western United States. It focuses especially on the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find original records, letters, and photos here. The center also keeps copies of all the museum's past publications and exhibition details.
Where is the Magnes Located?
The museum has grown a lot over the years. It started in just one room above a movie theater in downtown Oakland. Later, it moved to a larger building in Berkeley called the Burke Mansion.
Today, the main art and artifact collections are at 2121 Allston Way in Berkeley. The historical archives about Jewish life in the American West are kept at the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley.
Past Exhibitions at the Magnes
The Magnes Collection often hosts special exhibitions. These shows bring unique art and stories to visitors.
My America Exhibition
In 2006, an exhibit called My America opened at the Magnes. This show came from the Jewish Museum in New York. It offered a look at different aspects of American Jewish life.
REVISIONS Series: Modern Art
The Magnes Museum has always supported new and exciting art. Since the 1960s, it has been known for showing modern art. The museum launched a series called REVISIONS. This series featured installations by artists like Ann Chamberlain, Naomie Kremer, Larry Abramson, Jonathon Keats, Amy Berk, and Shahrokh Yadegari. These shows were put together by guest curator Lawrence Rinder.
They Called Me Mayer July
In September 2007, a powerful exhibit opened called They Called Me Mayer July: Painted Memories of Jewish Life in Poland Before the Holocaust. This exhibit was a team effort between Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett and her father, Mayer Kirshenblatt.
Mayer was born in Poland in 1916. When he was in his seventies, his daughter encouraged him to learn painting. He created 65 paintings that showed what life was like in his Polish hometown of Opatów before the Holocaust.
The Museum's Founding Story
The Magnes Museum was founded by Seymour and Rebecca Fromer. They wanted to find and save Jewish art and everyday items. They also wanted to preserve Jewish culture and religious objects.
They helped many artists and craftspeople with their careers. They also worked on important projects to save Jewish heritage.
Projects and Discoveries
Some of the amazing projects Seymour and Rebecca worked on include:
- Cataloging many Yiddish records that were saved from dumpsters.
- Collecting libraries of Yiddish books from the homes of Jewish chicken farmers in Petaluma, California.
- Saving Jewish items that were about to be thrown away. This happened as Jewish life was changing in countries like Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Czechoslovakia, India, and Central Europe.
