Definitely one of the best Jewish History Museums Ive ever visited. Took us about 2 hours to complete but we could have spent longer. The information was presented so nicely and it was highly educational. Some of the objects in the collections and overall displays, really blew us away. Very impressed, would 100% recommend and even come back next time we are in Philly.

National Museum of American Jewish History is located on 101 South Independence Mall E, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Superb museum, you definitely get what you pay for with admission! There are 5 stories and they are all huge and filled with so much history that you could spend hours here. The top floor seems to be dedicated to a single artist, Im not sure if they change out this floor periodically but it is cool to honor one single artist at a time. I learned so much here and it was a fun experience! The bathrooms are highly dated, the girls up front are not very friendly no matter how nice you are to them they have very rude attitudes. They should probably find a job that makes them happy but it seems like they are the type of people who it is their aesthetic to be cold and rude, especially to other females unfortunately.

Very easy museum to visit. Logical way to move through it, very good but not excessive exhibits, good info provided. Good addition to the area attractions, and worth a visit if you are interested in the Jewish experience in America.

Went on a sunny Saturday in late August. No lines and it was free. Tough to rate a museum, but it is worth your time.

Interesting and informative. Our docent, Steve Capin, was very knowledgeable and didnt mind questions. We enjoyed the exhibit about Justice Ginsburg. I will definitely try to go back as there is a lot we didnt get to see.

Well organized compendium of Jewish life in America in a beautiful, newly constructed, purpose built structure. The exhibits lead chronologically from the 4th floor beginning in the mid-1600s through the Civil War, and processing down in the logical epochs including post-Civil War through WWII, and post-war to present. The structure and scope by design compresses obviously unequal periods in duration and significance roughly into thirds. The result while encyclopedic paradoxically means shorter shrift given to pivotal developments (e.g. periods of mass migration, the foundation of Israel) and an overweighting of the superficial (e.g. suburbanization and camp). This macro, time-based view leaves much to be explored both thematically and culturally. All of this is said from a point of constructive criticism of course as few Jewish museums have achieved this balanced, American-centric portrayal without an overriding focus on a particular historical event. I hope over time that the museum will morph into depth of issues, themes and currents. Regardless, this is an important institution that has great promise and is worth a visit by many.

Greatest museums and attractions that bare beautiful

The neatest thing for me was seeing a diagram of Jewish immigration into the US. We had gone to see Fiddler on the Roof the week prior to our Philly trip and seeing the immigration routes and how Jewish people have flowed into the US due to war and oppression.

Really great museum, and wonderfully curated. The special exhibits they feature are well presented and cover a wide range of topics and personalities.

Not sure why it took me so long to get here. Very informative and portrayed in an easy to digest format.

A beautiful display of Jewish history in our city. The Sarah Berman exhibit was great.

Amazing museum! It has much more than a days worth of exhibits.

They also host special events here Drape,lighting and vinyl Dancefloor By Shipley Enterprises Llc

This museum is a hidden gem of Philadelphia! It consistently has the best special exhibits in the city, and I visit at least annually. Their exhibits celebrating Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Leonard Bernstein, and WWI were beautifully presented with insightful curation. My favorite was their free-to-view outdoor installation of Sara Bermans Closet (all white clothes meticulously ironed and folded). This was part of illustrator Moira Kalmans tribute. Their permanent collection is enlightening and immersive. Visit during the week and you can join the guides tours or eavesdrop on the school group visits.

Thats a beautiful monument to remember are brother Jew people God bless everyone who works at the museum 🖼️ they do and excellent job just remember Jesus Christ is alive I love you Jesus Christ my lord and savior for ever and ever amén.

Excellent, great history with pictures and artifacts. They came for a freedom that didnt exist in their land, but our President of the United States made good on his promise to practice your religion with out being persecuted. The pictures take you back in time. What a sight to see. 🌹 Philadelphia is always a great place to visit. While in the area do visit the Reading Terminal Market. More fiod then you can think of... Visit by train, the Amtrak, and Greyhound are within walking distance. Bring your walking shoes.

This was one of the best museums I have ever been too. It was so well organized by floor and the whole history flowed so well. The museum is a great place for kids with lots of photos and interactive things for younger children to do. The whole museum was so educational and you leave feeling like youve learned so much. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for things to do in Philadelphia or wanting to know more about Jewish life in America. Loved this museum so much!

Ordered a Bobblehead online and it was delivered within the same week. The wrapping was beautiful. The gift note was even hand written! Im very pleased with my purchase!

Always great special exhibits, and the constant tells the story of American Jews. The Museum Store has great products and books.

Actually very interesting and engaging. 8year old found videos she enjoyed and loved the dress-up area. (Grand)Father was fascinated by the old film clips that reminded him of his childhood and the migration information. I was impressed with the depth of information and the general flow of the museum. What first appeared to be a small museum, kept us interested for almost 4 hours - we only left because our hunger grew too large to be satisfied by the small snack area (light nosh is really a few candy bars and cokes for sale in museum store; though they do have space to sit and eat food youve brought yourself).

A great building. Very informative -could spend the day there. Really nice staff, too!A very nice tourist attraction, Jewish or not

Was okay, nice 4 floor museum and it was educational. Bathrooms were well kept together. Interactive displays available and fun but some were broken or just not working right. In addition some of the glass could have had a lot better wipe down. Staff was nice.

I personally have been to many museums and I really enjoy getting to learn about bits and pieces of history. This museum is very well done, one of the best ones I have seen. It is very interactive and does not just focus on one aspect of the Jewish history, it rather has a holistic view. I highly recommend this place for anybody from any faith.

Great experience, thank you Erica King for your wonderful tour...

It was really interesting and their exhibits on the top flor changes every so often. This time it was the lady with the white closet. The writing was fun and was sometimes written in marker or was stickers. It was written by here daughter with was cool and had a lot of material to show. The rest of the museum was interesting and had a lot to see. Also, there were a lot of Hands on exhibits which was fabulous that was great for understanding. Overall, it was educational and interesting. I would go there again.

Good to learn Jewish culture and why Jewish has so influential in America. There are a lot of amazing audio in museum.

Campos Cheesesteaks loves the National Museum of American Jewish History

Lovely space. Went to see Sarah’s closet. Exceptional touching exhibit. The overall impact of building the exhibits space planning gift shop — are all exceptional. it’s just really a beautiful place where visit. Lots of history - very informative.

Why closed ?? What happen. Iv never been.

I got in for free, and I would give it less stars if I had to pay. The building and location are amazing. The content and exhibits are mediocre.There is a lot of text to read compared to the items on display, which is fine except most people dont want to spend 4-6 hours reading in a single visit. Additionally, the items are commonplace for the most part rather than rare. Its more like a 4 story book (paragraphs abound) than a museum.There were a few cool items like a wedding dress made from the parachute that saved the brides husband in WWII and the video of the WWII vet recounting what he saw during the war.

So much history and run of emotions when you walk into this time capsule. Not only do you see and view the history but also hear the history come alive.

The Ruth Ginsberg exhibit was fantastic. A wonderful balance of her personal and professional lives. There are a couple of exhibit grammatical errors, which will make her eyes role if she ever sees them, within six feet of her desk where it is noted how careful she was with grammar and punctuation.

A fabulous museum. If the Leonard Bernstein exhibit is still up - plan on taking an hour to an hour and a half to see it all. An amazing job of curating a twentieth century hero - musician and creator.The remaining four floors require many hours to see and digest. Definitely a worthwhile visit. Take your time and enjoy.The gift shop is also great with very reasonable prices. A perfect place to buy gifts for others.Enjoy.

Only viewed one floor but presented in depth narrative of Jewish life from a wide variety of perspectives. Didnt cut corners or airbrush less pleasant chapters of history such as slave ownership or our own continued struggle to be religiously tolerant but presented important artifacts and told crucial stories in interesting ways. Media available for early Jewish history was limited so Ill want to see if materials get more interactive for modern period but Ive enjoyed this museum so far and intend to go back and pick up where I left off around the civil war era.

I highly recommend this museum. I went to check out the RBG exhibit. We checked out another floor but theres so many great, informative displays, we need to go back. I love the interactive exhibits especially!

Its rare for me to give 5 star reviews, but I will give it when I think there is no room for improvement or just like 1 thing to improve.Jewish museums tend to either fall into 1 of 2 categories....a Holocaust museum or like a kids museum in Jewish history. This museum was true to the name of the museum. Its truly on the history of immigration in the US, discussed the role of Jews in wars, and life for Jews in the US. It was all very well done and well organized. The staff was friendly too and there were clean bathrooms lol.Have nothing bad to say. Its also free at the moment so take advantage of it, but its also well worth the price of admission.

Need to visit an experience the world

As with any Smithsonian museum, it deserves multiple visits. The Bernstein exhibition (through September 2018) is not to be missed! The museum provides a thorough overview of the Jewish experience in the U.S. This is a museum for the whole family. They dont sugar-coat the Holocaust but give it a thorough examination through the American experience. A powerful and important part of our history. Philadelphia is fortunate to have this treasure.

Good venue for your larger group meetings with a Jewish accented museum of American history

A view of Jews that is not the strictly the holocaust. Great interactive displays. Interesting artifacts. Vast gift shop. Be aware there is little parking options and they have a security check point that includes metal detector and xray.

Well designed museum with well- compartmentalized exhibit areas and lots of interesting bits of history. This photo, though, is mislabelled. The stated year offs 1950... but can you see all the cars that were manufactured many years later? Back to the future!

Excellent thought provoking experience, put together very well and includes plenty of audio, visuals, and props, some of which are interactive. Very thorough and thoughtful. I would recommend a visit for anyone who enjoys history. Sombre at times without being overwhelmingly sad, does not linger on the Holocaust but provides a lot of information and personal experiences to relate to.

A wonderful museum in a beautiful building. A great celebration of American Jewish culture and the many contributions that Jews have made to this country. The exhibits are interesting, educational, and impactful.

The museum is organized chronologically, from the arrival of the first Jews in 1654 to today, on four floors. As an expert on racial and ethnic relations (including Jews in the U.S.), I found the approach very didactic, as it packs a lot information in oral and written form. The top floor was dedicated to a comprehensive exhibit on Leonard Bernsteins life and work. I recommend the museum to those who visit or live in Philadelphia.

Fantastic way to spend a few hours. You interesting and engaging exhibits, some even interactive. Excellent for old and young, and reveals such a long, rich, sometimes terrible, history in a way you will remember.

This is excellent if you have any interest in the revolution, especially if you want to get up-to-date on the subject. So many of us have lost our connection to this. Its a great place for young people to get a sense of how we came to be as a nation.

Great museum. Very informative, great educational experience. The displays r top-notch, I feel.😌

It was worth a visit if your in the area, but not worth the hassle for the sole purpose of visiting this museum. Did like the layout of the museum, although unless you grab a guide book youll be confused where to start and which direction to follow. The exhibits tell a story of life starting in America to now, the evolution of Judaism and how they have contributed and been affected by American culture. Good overall, but it does make you a little sad.

Great establishment and even greater staff! The museum is a great place if youre looking to host any sort of event! My team and I had reserved the museum to host a couple of events this past Christmas season and they were a pleasure to work with! They have a great theater room for live performances and a great fifth floor ball room that has a balcony with an amazing view of Independence Mall! If youre just looking to learn more about the Jewish people and their history, this is a great place to do that as well! I regret not having as much time as I wouldve liked to check all of the displays, but from looking at the ones I did, theyre filled with a lot of rich history and some pretty cool artifacts that are tied back to the Jewish people. This museum is definitely worth stopping by and spending a good amount of time here if youre interested in Jewish history. Would definitely recommend this museum to both people looking to host an event in the city and people looking to learn more about Jewish history!

We had a docent, Barbara Block give us a tour of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Exhibit. She was delightful and, very well prepared. It was very crowded but she managed to take us through the exhibit without feeling overwhelmed by the crowds. She focused on RBGs place in time and her interest in gender equity.We really appreciated her time on the last day of Hanukkah!

Came for a quick visit on a free day and enjoyed the Bernstein special exhibit. Saw many other patrons participating in Independence Day events like painting and childrens story hour. I first visited when the museum opened, and it looks like it is getting better and better each time. Great museum shop

A very interesting look at the history of American Jewry. Interactive exhibits keep things interesting for kids. The special exhibits about famous American Jews was also quite interesting and had some amazing artifacts. Plan time to find local parking. Admission rates were very reasonable. A great place for both adults and families.

The Rube Goldberg exhibition was fun.

Beautiful facility, very clean rest rooms. I found the tour a very educational experience. Afterwards, we attended a wedding. The venue was incredible, the food was five star quality and everyone was friendly and helpful.

I was there for a conference. Beautiful venue! Didnt see the exhibits, though its on my list. Will update my review soon accordingly. Make sure to get your parking tickets validated if parked at one of the spots around the museum. They have a good deal.

Beautiful

Excellent experience. On par with the better national museums. Exhibits well done; highly informative, thoughtful and emotionally charged. Spent only a few hours but would definitely come back.

This was a fantastic visit to a great museum. Loved it loved it loved it. You must see this museum. And go on a guided tour. All free no charge

This museum is located in the center of historic sites. Close to Independence Hall, Liberty Bell and many other tourist attractions places.This exhibition in this museum is very informative. Definitely learn something new about the history.

Really interesting and as Israeli that moved to America it was an emotional experience to learn, feel and breathe the history of my people here in the states.Very detailed and share a lot of personal stories.

Beautiful museum. Theres 4 floors of the museum. I wasnt able to see the last two because I was in a rush. But you start from the 4th floor and work your way down to the 1st. It was very nice with nice staff.

I love this place!!!

Excellent museum. Special exhibits are always worth seeing. Notorious RBG was amazing. Sorry you missed it.

Wonderful experience! As a Southern Jew from Alabama it was nice to see the history of the Jewish people in America. The RBG exhibit rocked! A very emotional experience for me.

The museum is very nice. Lots of information, plenty of reading and historical accounts and media, as well as interactive spaces for younger folks. The exhibits on the top floor allow for different experience than the majority of the rest of the museum. Exhibits include; Rube Goldberg, Leonard Bernstein and more

Saw the RBG exhibit which was excellent. Fantastic museum for anyone wanting to learn about the history of people of the Jewish faith in America.

Impressive building and very interesting displays chronicling that history of the Jewish people in the US. We spent an enjoyable two hours walking through all the displays and reading all the info. I highly recommend it.

Very informative museum. Drags out a little at the end. Several pinch points with some of the exhibit layouts.

Great resource for getting an understanding of the American Jewish community timeline.Gives you a good taste for the Jewish immigrant experience, and the grit involved in working their way up.Informative, and engaging experience with diverse styles of exhibits which incorporate audio, video, artifacts, pictures, and text placards.

It truly was a great experience. There was so much to see and read and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Excellent exhibition. Includes kids activities.

Comprehensive tour of the American Jewish experience from around the world to arrival and dispersal in the States.RBG exhibit was one floor and a detailed journey of her life to the present.An enjoyable visit. Museum is free, RGB was nominal fee.

Nice museum, very good permanent exhibit and occasionally an excellent special exhibit. Building is impressive and at a great location.

Loved the Notorious RBG! Loved it. The gift shop was a treat, too! Dont miss either!

Comprehensive and very entertaining and enlightening. We of course loved the Bernstein special exhibit. The 3rd floor about the immigrant experience was terrific. Well laid out museum. We loved it.

We loved the Sara Bergman’s closet exhibit. I think that may have been the only exhibit of our entire trip that we actually read every word. Great experience.

Truly a must go for people of all backgrounds. It is organized in an interesting and compelling manner which pays tribute to the many different parts of the American Jewish story, good and bad. Be sure to set aside a entire day, because youll need it to see everything.

This is a big and very informative museum on the history of the Jewish people in America. I took a guided tour and the tour guide was very informative and entertaining. The only downside is the price of admission. Other than that I would highly recommend you come here.

Exceptionally interesting. Good exhibits for kids, too. Very even handed presentation of American Jewish history, patriotic and praiseful without being cloying, saccharine, untruthful.

Excellent exhibit on RBG which is over Jan 12th . Everyone who can should get there before its over. It will take 1 to 2 hours to go through it.I was only able to get thru another floor and am looking forward to going back to spend more time.

The story of Jews in America is told through tens of individual stories throughout centuries. Inspirational and very special to me personally.

Excellent presentation of events, also not very busy so its very easy to roam around and absorb the well presented information.

Very well thought out with a nice design and interesting methodology of displaying Jewish heritage and culture.The staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and they are always there to help explain to those that need clarification or have additional questions. The rotating exhibits are very educational and helpful, and bring light to many unknown or misunderstood aspects of Jewish life and history.

Very good exhibit about American immigration. More than just Jewish history. Takes at least 2hours to see it all.

Amazing wedding venue. Beautiful set up and very nice views. Great service staff. Very friendly. Id recommend using this venue

Amazing museum! Please, please, please, take the time to add this to your schedule. My husband and I spent 5 hours here, and left only because my blood sugar dropped. Although the museum beautifully demonstrates the Jewish experience in America all Americans can see the story of their people in the exhibits. Especially considering the social conversations of immigration currently coursing through our country, this museum allows you a glimpse into the marginalization that all immigrants feel entering a new country. BRING TISSUES!!!

Got there by chance, really pleased. Opened up a all knew perspective and understanding of American society. HIGHLY recommended

Pretty cool place. I just did a quick run through. It is free all February! I learned some things I didnt know and Im sure there is much more to learn. Im going back.

Very clean, fun and a lot of stuff to do and read about on 4 floors. And its free! 5th floor for exhibits and events.

Nice, quiet respite from the crowds and noise. Interesting place to visit to learn about orthodox or secular American Jewish society (sad some of the vile ones from Hollywood and politics had to be included). Very informative but there are some elements missing if the museum is showcasing American Jewish society AS A WHOLE, such as Messianic Jews who believe in Yeshua (unless I missed that somewhere...if I did, forgive me). I REALLY like their emphasis on WWI as much as WWII as that was when Nazism was truly born. I definitely recommend this place.

Wonderful! Assisted by a personal tour guide too! I hadnt been aware particularly that opportunities for Jewish people had been so restricted in the US. Thank you for opening my eyes to a # of things!

The information here is expansive. One 2 hour visit will allow for a quick overview. I recommend going for a day or going a few times. There is information ranging from immigration to faith to historical social movements.

This is everything youd want in a history museum: vivid, engaging, and richly furnished.And you can hardly beat the location: in between Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center. (Also near the refreshing US Mint!)

I wish I had spent more time there. Free for this month! Plenty of exhibits and interactive displays for kids. It was an awesome abbreviated but thorough look at the history of Jewish America.

Very informative. Interesting layout. Many portions brought me to tears. Leonard Bernstein exhibit was exceptional. Everyone should experience this very important museum.

When I visited the Museum for the month of July that whole month was free, Its so much to see and the new exhibits are always interesting, and for each new exhibits they have things you can do with your children, its a Wonderful place to visit.

Sternly informational and VERY EASY to find. They even have a free preview that you can look at before hand just in case if your not sure if you want to view the entire thing yet. The staff there is AMAZING and super helpful. Definetly would recommend

Beautiful museum, top floor has current revolving exhibits, other 3 floors of exhibits are by timeline of Jewish history. Highly recommended

Berman exhibition great. Many additional well organized exhibits. Take your time. Well worth it.