Meet Modern Jewish London

The Jewish Museum is a powerful and poignant journey through Jewish history, life and culture in Britain. Small but mighty, the museum is not just important for the Jewish community in London, it is a nationally significant institution that explores an important theme in the nation’s story.

We started working with the Jewish Museum as it began a wholesale redevelopment and reimagining of its offer. Together with the museum and architect teams, we extended the site into an adjacent building – an old piano factory – bringing the collections together under one roof for the first time. Then, we reinterpreted the collections, revealing the impressive and all-too-often untold contributions of the Jewish community to modern day Britain.

The museum is renowned for its first-person storytelling approach. This was the foundation of our interpretative framework and the result of extensive community engagement and archival research. Jewish people from throughout history guide you through the museum’s four galleries, inviting you to see their world through their eyes.

Through personal and intimate stories, bigger stories about religion and geopolitics are unlocked. Edith Rothschild and her toy doll reveal stories about the Kindertransport and England’s role in the war; the Crespin family and their mikveh, or ritual bath, tells us about religious rituals in the home. This peopled approach creates real connections with real people, toning down the museum’s voice and letting the community speak for itself.

The museum is also remarkable for its sheer variety – there is something new at every turn. You might encounter a recreated East End tailor’s workshop or an interactive map showing Jewish migration from around the world. Children can play a migration board game or sing Yiddish karaoke. Treasured objects range from England’s oldest silver Hanukah lamp to a medieval mikveh on display for the first time since it was discovered.

The experience is tied together by four overarching, multidimensional themes – Identity and Diversity, Migration, Diaspora, Combating Prejudice – which permeate through four galleries and to paint a rich picture of Jewish life. Importantly, the museum also asks questions about society today, encouraging understanding and inspiring us to challenge prejudice.