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Please click on the categories below to learn more!
Browsing the Online Collection
There are a few ways to browse the Online Collection:On the homepage, you can browse curated selections from our collection.
On the Favorites page, you can browse user-created collections. You can add your own Favorites to Community Favorites by registering on the site and creating sets that are marked "public".
Enter keywords or names in the search box (Quick Search) to find objects or other records in our collection. To search on specific criteria, you can use the advanced search to search within certain data fields. You can search using multiple criteria, such as the term "portrait" in the title + a date range of "1800-1900". If you are not getting any results with advanced search, try broadening your search by removing criteria.
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You can use an * (asterisk) as a wildcard in searches, to match
partial terms (e.g. draw* will return results for draw, drawn,
drawings, etc.)
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Use quotation marks to get more exact results - e.g. John Doe will
return any results with John or Doe, but "John Doe" will return
results with this exact phrase.
There are different types of search results, such as object records and people records. When there is more than one type of result, you can choose different types of records to view.
You can view a set of results in an image grid or list view. Use the dropdown to switch between different types of views.
You can refine a result set by using filters to narrow down results. For example, you can filter to see only works that have images within any result set. You can also clear each filter to revert to a larger result set, or clear all filters to get to your original result set.
An image may be shown as not available if it is not yet available in our database, or if it cannot be displayed for copyright reasons.
Favorites allows you to create your own sets from the collection objects available on this site. You can share your Favorites with others, or create sets of artworks for your own viewing (Favorites are private by default).
You can optionally add a description for each Favorites set. You can view your collection sets by going to the "Favorites" page and logging into your account.
To use Favorites, you must first register an account. Once you have completed registration, you can start creating Favorites sets and adding artworks to them.
You can add artworks to your sets by clicking on the heart symbol while viewing objects, and selecting which set to add the artwork(s). After selection, you can choose to add all selected works on the page to a Favorite. You can also add the entire result set or all objects on a page.
If you mark your Favorites set public, this Favorite will be visible to others in the Community Favorites section. The option to mark a set as public is available when you edit your Favorite.
After
setting a Favorite set as public, you can also share the link to allow
others to view your set.
Bequests
Unlike financial bequests, bequests of objects must first be approved by our Collections and Exhibitions staff. We need to ensure each object is able to be preserved, and that it is an appropriate fit for our Collection. Please contact collections@mjhnyc.org with any proposed bequests of objects.
Donation of Materials to the Collection
The Museum does not accept unsolicited objects either through the mail or dropped off in person.
Materials sent unsolicited will be considered abandoned, giving the Museum discretion to return to sender or dispose of materials as it sees fit. Object donors must first discuss and arrange all aspects of the donation process with Collections & Exhibitions staff once materials have been formally approved for donation. Write to collections@mjhnyc.org for more information or to begin the donation process.
The Museum’s community in New York and around the world plays a major role in enriching our collections. It is a privilege to provide a home for objects pertaining to the periods immediately before, during, and after the Holocaust. We collect documents, photographs, textiles, artworks and other objects made, owned, or used by Jewish people during these time periods, especially objects with a substantial connection to Holocaust history.
How do I donate an object to the Museum?
Please contact collections@mjhnyc.org with the subject line Object Donation Inquiry and include the following information:
- Description of the object(s)
- Date and place the object was made, if known
- Biographical information about the original owner of the object, if known
- Provenance (Who was the original owner of the object? How did you obtain the object?)
- Images of the object(s)
- Your contact details, including phone number and email address as well as current location of the materials on offer
Write to collections@mjhnyc.org for more information or to begin the donation process. Unsolicited donations by mail or left in person are not accepted. The Museum reserves the right to return to sender or dispose of materials as it sees fit.
Will my donation be on display?
Our focus is to preserve and protect our Collection for future generations. We strive to display as much as possible; not all objects will be displayed.
Does the Museum purchase collections?
The Museum is committed to preserving items related to our mission. Our Collection is largely composed of tax-deductible donations.
What is the donation process?
After we have approved an object for acquisition, we schedule an intake visit for the donor to hand-carry the object, when possible; otherwise, we schedule a fine art shipment to bring the object to the Museum. At our intake, or through mail if necessary, we present a Deed of Gift document for signature which performs the legal transfer of ownership. We require a signed Deed of Gift for the object to be exhibited.
How does the Museum decide what to accept into its collection?
We focus on preserving items that represent life before, during and after the Holocaust. All donations will be considered, but we are unable to accept all the materials offered to us.
Currently, we are prioritizing areas of emerging scholarship, as well as seeking to include materials from underrepresented groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, the disability community, individuals and families who fled to the Soviet Union during the Holocaust, as well as North African Jewish, Romaniote Jewish, Bukharan Jewish, Mountain Jew, and Greek Jewish communities, along with Sephardic and Mizrahi communities. We are also seeking objects that tell New York-specific stories.
What type of objects does the Museum collect?
The Museum seeks to preserve items that represent personal memories and experiences, and gives preference to objects whose provenance and personal associations are clearly established, including: textiles, household objects, personal mementos, Judaica, toys, musical instruments, diaries and memoirs, posters, documents and photographs, and other visual materials.
Are gifts to the Museum tax deductible?
Yes, we are a non-profit, 501(c)(3). However, we cannot provide appraisals. Please consult with your accountant or attorney to ensure you have complied with the Internal Revenue Service’s requirements regarding gifts of tangible property to charitable institutions. Once your donation is accepted, we may be able to assist in making it available to your chosen appraiser, given sufficient notice.
How do I donate books to the library?
The Museum’s library is currently non-circulating and collecting new material very rarely.
Our library holdings include a comprehensive and geographically diverse selection of books on Holocaust history, as well as several first-edition Yizkor books.
If you have a demonstrated research need, we have a limited number of appointments at our library. Please email collections@mjhnyc.org.
Loans & Requests to Borrow from the Collection
How do I request to borrow objects from the collection?
At the discretion of Registration and Curatorial staff, the Museum may choose to lend objects from the Permanent Collection to qualified non-profit cultural and educational institutions, museums, and archives both domestically and internationally. Museum staff will take into consideration the borrower’s capacity to meet recognized best practices in the field regarding object preservation, security, storage, display and transport throughout the proposed loan period. The Museum’s primary focus is the long-term care and preservation of its Permanent Collection and this will be considered alongside loan requests.
To inquire further about this process and to request a loan to an exhibition at your institution, please email collections@mjhnyc.org with Loan Request in the subject line. If possible, please allow for lead time of at least 6 months prior to exhibition installation.
Research Requests
How do I submit a research request to the Collections team?
Please email collections@mjhnyc.org with a description of your project and the materials, or types of material, you are interested in studying.
Collections are available to researchers on a limited basis depending on the availability of material related to the individual project, as well as the demonstrated need of the researcher to access our material. We do our best to make collection material available digitally or in-person, and we can provide recommendations for repositories of related materials. Please check back as we work towards further digital access to our collections.
Rights & Reproduction
To license an image from our Collection for use, contact collections@mjhnyc.org with the subject line Licensing Request.
For assistance viewing our online collection, we welcome you to contact us at emuseum@mjhnyc.org.