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Where history has a voice

History is given a voice within the Sydney Jewish Museum’s walls to ensure the lessons of history are transmitted across generations.

30 years since its inception by the generation of Holocaust survivors living in Australia, the Sydney Jewish Museum continues to give a voice to survivors so their stories start conversations about broader issues locally and globally, and inspire change.

These intriguing and inspiring stories are brought to life through artefacts, testimonies, interactive media, new digital technologies, and encounters with Holocaust survivors and knowledgeable guides.

We have to let the young generations know: as humans we have a choice and the wisdom to decide what is good and what is evil.

Lotte Weiss, late Holocaust survivor

Our permanent exhibitions tell intriguing stories…

Culture and Continuity

Culture and Continuity is an exhibition that looks at two questions: Who are the Jews? and Who are the Jews in Australia?

The exhibition showcases the rich heritage of Jewish history, religion and culture alongside Australian Jewish history, and the history of the Sydney Jewish community in particular.

From its beginnings in the Ancient Near East to its modern manifestations in twenty-first century Australia, Jewish civilisation is made up of a tapestry of religious and cultural traditions.

Exhibition, Culture and Continuity: Journey Through Judaism

The Holocaust

Located over three levels, this exhibition traces the persecution and murder of European Jewry from 1933 to 1945. The Holocaust explores the contemporary and ongoing resonance of these unprecedented events. The exhibition also documents the new lives that survivors forged following their arrival in Australia, and their contribution to the fabric of contemporary Australian life.

Rich with artefacts, testimonies and interactive digital technologies, this exhibition invites multi-sensory engagement with history and memory, to challenge perceptions and inspire critical thinking.

The Holocaust and Human Rights

This exhibition outlines human rights achievements and challenges, and focuses on the key human rights issues facing Australia today. The exhibition uses new digital technologies to explore local issues pertaining to the rights of Refugees and Asylum Seekers; People with Disabilities; First Australians; and the LGBTIQ Community.

The place promotes deep, reflective thought, even on topics that might prove irresolvable.

For more exhibition details, follow the links below.

Feature exhibitions

Permanent exhibitions

Take a tour of the Museum

Join one of our guided Museum tours through the Holocaust exhibition with one of our knowledgeable guides to bring history to life.

Guided tours are one hour long and are included in the price of admission. Tours are offered on Monday – Friday at 2pm, and Sundays at 12pm and 2pm.

Listen to testimonies through our SJM Voices app

The Museum’s free app, SJM Voices, offers the opportunity to listen to the testimonies of Holocaust survivors, perpetrators, witnesses and experts as you move through the Museum.

The app can be downloaded onto your Apple iPhone from the App Store. If you do not have an apple device, you can borrow a headset from the admissions desk.

Click here for more information on the app, or here to download the app before you visit the Museum.