Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art facts for kids
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Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art
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| Established | 1965 |
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| Location | 2021 E 71st St Tulsa, OK 74136 |
| Type | Art museum |
The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art (SMMJA) is a special place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's a museum that celebrates Jewish art and history. It first opened in 1966 as the Gershon & Rebecca Fenster Museum of Jewish Art. For many years, it was located inside a synagogue.
In 2000, the museum was renamed after Sherwin Miller, who was its first curator. It moved to its current home in 2004. Today, the Sherwin Miller Museum has the largest collection of Jewish art in the Southwestern United States. It's a recognized museum, getting a special approval from the American Alliance of Museums in 2013.
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What Can You See?
The museum is part of a bigger cultural center called the Fenster/Sanditen Cultural Center. It also includes the National Council of Jewish Women Holocaust Education Center. This center was opened in 1995 by members of the Oklahoma 45th Infantry Division.
The Sherwin Miller Museum is the only Jewish museum of its kind in this part of America. It keeps a very large collection of Jewish items, called Judaica, safe. It's also the main office for the Jewish Historical Society of Oklahoma.
Holocaust Collection
The museum has a special collection called the Herman & Kate Kaiser Holocaust Collection. This part of the museum tells the stories of people who survived the Holocaust and later lived in Oklahoma. It also honors Oklahomans who helped free people from Nazi concentration camps.
Permanent Collection Highlights
The museum's main collection has more than 16,000 pieces! These items include:
- Ancient objects from archaeological digs.
- Items used in Jewish religious ceremonies.
- Traditional clothing from different cultures.
- Old historical papers and documents.
- Beautiful fine art pieces.
About the Museum Building
The museum building has a lot of space for exhibits, about 13,700 square feet. It even has a model synagogue inside! Children from the Mizel Jewish Community Day School use this model synagogue for services twice a week. This school is also on the Zarrow Campus, where the museum is located.
The museum building has two floors:
- The lower floor has a permanent exhibit about the Holocaust. Here, you can see documents, photos, and other items. These tell the stories of Oklahoma veterans who helped free people from German concentration camps. They also show the experiences of Jewish people who escaped Nazi Germany, and those who survived the Holocaust.
- The upper floor shows art and items from the long history of the Jewish people. This includes things from ancient times in the Middle East all the way to Jewish communities in Oklahoma.
New Holocaust Center
In November 2020, the museum opened its new Holocaust Center. This center took three years to plan and build. Mikel Yantz, a museum leader, explained its goal: "to teach about the Holocaust. Why it happened, when it happened, and those who were affected, and how it affects us today."
The center also has displays about other important historical events. These include the Muscogee Creek "Trail of Tears" and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Yantz also mentioned that this is the only museum of its kind in Oklahoma.
