Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

(2024)
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Former name	National Museum of American Jewish History
Established	1976 (1976)
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Type	Jewish Museum
Collection size	30,000 objects
Visitors	82,950 (2019)
Architect	James Polshek
Public transit access	5th Street/Independence Hall:   Market–Frankford Line SEPTA bus: 17, 33, 38, 44, 48 Philly PHLASH

The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, also known as The Weitzman, is a special museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's connected with the famous Smithsonian museums. The museum opened in 1976. It helps people learn about the history and experiences of Jewish people in America. You can find it at 101 South Independence Mall East in Center City Philadelphia.

History of The Weitzman Museum

When the museum first opened in 1976, it was about 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m²) in size. It shared a building with a synagogue called Congregation Mikveh Israel.

Moving to a New Building

In 2005, plans were made to move the museum to a brand new building. This new building would be located on Independence Mall. The new site was once owned by a radio and TV station.

Construction on the new building started on September 30, 2007. The building is very large, about 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m²). It was designed by an architect named James Polshek. The building has lots of glass and a special kind of pottery called terra-cotta. It also includes a big open area called an atrium. There is a large space for exhibits, a learning center, and a theater.

The entire project cost about $150 million. This included money for the building and for the museum's future. The museum officially opened on November 14, 2010. Over 1,000 people attended the opening ceremony. Important leaders like Vice President Joe Biden were there. The museum welcomed the public on November 26, 2010.

Challenges and Renaming

In March 2020, the museum had to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many staff members were temporarily without pay. The museum also had financial difficulties. It filed for a type of financial protection called Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This helped the museum deal with debts from building its new home.

The museum successfully came out of bankruptcy in September 2021. This happened after some lenders forgave part of the debt. A board member also bought the museum building, which helped a lot.

In August 2020, something unexpected happened. After President Donald Trump mispronounced "Yosemite National Park" as "yo-semites," the museum's online gift shop saw a huge increase in sales for a "Yo Semite" T-shirt they already sold. This brought in a lot of money and unexpected attention to the museum.

In November 2021, the museum was renamed. It became The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History. This was done to honor a very generous donation from Stuart Weitzman.

Museum Exhibitions

The Weitzman Museum uses items from its collection for its exhibitions. The collection has over 30,000 objects. These objects show Jewish life in America from early times to today. Past exhibitions have featured famous people like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Leonard Bernstein.

George Washington and Religious Freedom

In 2012, the museum held a special exhibition. It featured a very important document about religious freedom in the United States. This document was a letter written by George Washington in 1790. He wrote it to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island.

Washington's letter showed that the new American government believed in religious freedom. It said that all faiths should be treated equally. The exhibition also included other old items. These included early copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Hall of Fame and Gallery

The museum also has a special area called the 'Only in America' Gallery and Hall of Fame. It opened in 2010. This area honors important Jewish Americans. The first group of eighteen people was chosen by public vote and experts. They were picked for their achievements in different areas.

When it first opened, the exhibit had a film about these honored people. It also displayed items like Sandy Koufax’s baseball glove. You could also see sheet music from Irving Berlin. The gallery was later named after Ed Snider.

Images for kids

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  Hanukkah lamp from Lodz, Poland, prior to 1881, silver

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  Hanukkah menorah, Russia, 1890, brass

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  Kiddush cup from Russia, engraved sterling silver

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  Portrait of Joyce Mears Myers by Edward Green Malbone, c. 1803, oil on ivory. No longer on view.

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  Silver menorah, William Gale and Sons, c. 1852

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  Torah finials, c. 1850, silver

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  Tzedakah (charity) box or Kupat Tzedakah, Charleston, 1820, silver

See also

• National Museum of American Jewish Military History