Hebrew Union College Skirball Museum Cincinnati
We preserve and interpret a rich collection of fine art and artifacts that tell the vibrant story of the Cincinnati Jewish community and global Jewish history, religion, and culture through thoughtful core and temporary exhibitions and engaging public programs for visitors of all faiths.
History
The Cincinnati Skirball Museum is one of the oldest repositories of Jewish cultural artifacts in America. The first stage in the museum’s development lasted for nearly a century, beginning when Hebrew Union College opened in 1875 and over time began accepting donations of Judaic objects and books. In 1913, the College’s Union Museum was founded with the assistance of the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, becoming the first formally established Jewish museum in the United States. In the 1920s, the collection rapidly expanded with the purchase of several significant private collections of Judaica, including those of Salli Kirschstein, Joseph Hamburger, and Louis Grossman. In 1990 the Cincinnati Skirball Museum opened in Mayerson Hall, presenting its core exhibition, An Eternal People: The Jewish Experience. The Skirball Museum is named for Rabbi Jack H. Skirball (1896-1985). An HUC-ordained rabbi, Skirball served a congregation in Evansville, Indiana, before transitioning to careers in the film industry and real estate. He is remembered for his lifelong service to Jewish education and culture.
In 2015, B’nai B’rith International and HUC-JIR announced the transfer of the art and artifacts of the former B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum, for the purposes of preserving and displaying this distinctive collection of sacred and secular fine and decorative arts. The B’nai B’rith Klutznick collection augments and enhances the Skirball’s holdings significantly, rendering it among the most prominent Jewish museums between the Alleghenies and the Rockies.
In addition to its core exhibition, the Skirball Museum also features temporary exhibitions that portray the cultural, historical, and religious heritage of the Jewish people.