The Heritage Lottery Fund is set to fund a major development of Manchester Jewish Museum which will result in a new museum extension, housing new galleries, learning and event spaces as well as the full restoration of the museum’s historic synagogue building.
An initial funding of £426,900 has been awarded to help the museum progress its plans to apply for a full grant of £2.8million at a later date.
Manchester Jewish Museum is housed inside a Moorish style former Spanish and Portuguese synagogue building. Built in 1874 it is the oldest synagogue in Manchester and plans are in place to restore the full architectural splendour to create a new visitor experience.
In addition, the grade II listed museum is set to install new galleries, telling the story of Manchester’s Jewish community, including a dedicated gallery about the Holocaust survivors who settled in Manchester and also exploring themes of immigration, integration and identity.
Commenting on the award, Museum Chief Executive Max Dunbar said: “We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this support. Over the past 30 years we’ve welcomed thousands of visitors, educating them about Jewish faith, heritage and culture. With today’s announcement, we can now build on this to create a new 21st Century Jewish Museum, showcasing more of our collections, educating more people and working with more communities to ensure Manchester’s Jewish heritage is preserved for generations to come”.
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