Jewish Museum London to open first exhibition space since closing three years ago

The Jewish Museum London is opening its first physical space since it closed in 2023 due to rising costs.

The interim exhibition space, called Two Rooms by Jewish Museum London, will launch on 17 June at JW3, a Jewish community centre in north London.

The space will feature temporary exhibitions and displays from the permanent collection while the museum works towards finding a new permanent home by 2030.

The museum has continued to lend work from its collection and run education programmes throughout its closure.

The new interim space will open with two exhibitions, Legacy: The Story of the Jewish Family who Founded J. Lyons and Fed Britain, and Tree of Life: Stories from Jewish Museum London’s Collection.

The first exhibition explores the legacy of the J Lyons family empire, from setting up the Lyons Tea Houses to introducing fast food to Britain via the Wimpy hamburger chain, as well as building the Trocadero and the Strand Palace Hotel. It will address the challenges of antisemitism faced by the German-Jewish immigrant family.

The second gallery will display highlights from the museum’s 35,000-strong permanent collection and reflect on its own history as a collecting institution.

In a statement, the museum said that following a period of significant financial and organisational challenges between 2019 and 2024, it had stabilised operations. It has retained its National Portfolio Organisation status with Arts Council England and is now “moving forwards with a renewed nationwide vision that celebrates Jewish culture, art, learning, public engagement and contribution to Britain”.

The new premises aim to serve as both a public-facing exhibition space and a “testing ground for the museum’s future direction”.

The museum’s recently appointed CEO, Charles Ross, described the initiative as “a reset and a new beginning” for one of Britain’s oldest Jewish cultural institutions.

Ross said: “While we have continued our programme of educational outreach, object loans and displays around the UK over the past few years, this new interim space is intended to further build public engagement, present thought provoking exhibitions, display highlights from our collection and reconnect with communities as we develop a broader national strategy.

“Current plans for our new permanent home are now being crystallised and will be shared in the coming months.”

The museum has worked with consulting firm Barker Langham to consult with staff, trustees and supporters and run feasibility tests. According to its 2025 annual report, the favoured option chosen is “a new museum based in London’s East End acting as a gateway to a Jewish Heritage Quarter, which will expand to partner with other Jewish cultural heritage sites and organisations across the UK, forming an ecosystem of Jewish culture and heritage”.

A full business plan is now under development ahead of the launch of a capital project.

Nick Viner, the chair of the museum’s board, said: “The Jewish Museum has emerged from a challenging period and is now entering a new phase with renewed confidence, new leadership and a clear sense of purpose. Holding exhibitions in this interim space is an important step towards creating a new museum that reflects and celebrates the richness, complexity and continuing contribution of Jewish life in Britain.”

Viner emphasised the increasing importance of the institution’s role amid rising antisemitism and debates around identity, heritage and belonging in Britain.

He said: “The British Jewish community is an integral part of the story of immigration and cultural identity in Britain, not a world apart. Over the centuries, we have fostered peace, prosperity and progress across a wide range of fields, despite the various forms of prejudice we have faced and continue to face.

“The Jewish Museum London tells these stories. We aim to celebrate the Jewish contribution to this country and create greater understanding and connection both within the Jewish community and with wider audiences.”

The opening comes at the tail end of the UK’s first-ever Jewish Culture Month, a new festival that launched on 16 May and aims to showcase and celebrate Jewish culture and heritage across the country.