Museum at Eldridge Street: New York’s Jewish Museum

What to Know About the Museum at Eldridge Street

• The Museum at Eldridge Street tells the story of New York’s Jewish community, particularly the major wave of Jewish immigration from 1880 to 1924. Of the 25 million immigrants who arrived in New York during this period, more than 2.5 million were Jewish, mostly from Eastern Europe. Over 75% of these new Jewish arrivals settled in the Lower East Side.
• The museum occupies a former synagogue built in 1887. Designated a historic landmark in 1996, it was the first major house of worship built by the Jewish community in America.
• After immigration quotas were imposed in 1924, many residents left the Lower East Side for other New York neighborhoods. The area declined, and the synagogue lost its importance. It closed permanently in the 1950s.
• In 1986, a restoration project began to save the synagogue and create a museum. The Museum at Eldridge Street opened in December 2007, nearly 20 years later. The renovation cost nearly $19 million.

What to See at the Museum at Eldridge Street

• The museum tells the story of the Lower East Side from the 19th century through everyday objects and religious items once used in the synagogue.
• The former women’s gallery on the upper level houses a permanent exhibition about the restoration of Eldridge Street Synagogue. You’ll see how deteriorated the building had become by the late 1980s.
• In the Family History Center, you’ll find photographs of the Lower East Side with close-ups of individual families and their stories.
• Don’t miss the monumental stained glass window that now adorns the synagogue. It’s the only architectural element added during the restoration.
• The museum has received several awards, including the Preserve America Stewards Award presented by Michelle Obama in 2010.

Visiting the Museum at Eldridge Street

• Address: 12 Eldridge Street.
• Subway: Grand Street (Line D) or East Broadway (Line F).
• Hours: Open Sunday to Thursday from 10 am to 5 pm and Friday from 10 am to 3 pm. Closed Saturdays.
• Admission: $15 for adults.

Map to the Museum at Eldridge Street