JEWS IN THE BOHEMIAN LANDS, 10th –18th CENTURY THE JEWISH MUSEUM IN PRAGUE’S NEW PERMANENT EXHIBITION IN THE MAISEL SYNAGOGUE

On 30 June 2015 the Jewish Museum in Prague (JMP) opened a new permanent exhibition in the Maisel Synagogue, focusing on the pre-modern history of the Jews in the Bohemian lands. This is the first of the new exhibition projects to be carried out as part of the JMP’s long-term transformation that was launched at the end of the first decade of the 21st century. Its aim is to turn this institution with ist rich collections and long history into a modern, open and dynamic centre of Jewish culture in the Central European region. In this way, the JMP is endeavouring to become widely known as an institution that is not only focused on the past, but is also open to what is happening in the present and, in particular, is responsive to visitor needs. The most important part of this plan is the gradual replacement of the JMP’s current exhibitions that were installed after its denationalization during the second half of the 1990s and are now nearing the end of their lifespan. The new exhibitions will integrate new museum trends, will include more interactive features and will enable regular changes. This is an extraordinarily demanding project in terms of time and financing, as there are five exhibitions – in the Maisel, Klausen, Pinkas and Spanish synagogues and in the Burial Society’s Ceremonial Hall – with an additional permanent exhibition to be installed in the Robert Gutmann Gallery in the JMP’s administrative building, and most of the costs will be funded from the JMP’s own resources. In an effort to enhance communication with potential visitors from the Czech Republic and abroad, and to improve visitor comfort, the JMP began the process of transformation in 2014 by opening its new Information and Reservation Centre (at Maislova 15 in Prague 1), which is a central place of contact for visitors to the JMP.