Set to reopen this fall in a state-of-the-art and much-expanded space, and built around DC’s oldest synagogue, the Capital Jewish Museum honors and preserves the vibrant history of Jewish life here in the nation’s capital.
Saved from a wrecking ball by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington in 1969, the synagogue has long served as a cultural hub that encompasses archives, exhibitions, educational programs, and neighborhood walking tours. In 2019, the historic synagogue was moved to its current location in Capital Crossing, with an expanded vision matched by a physical expansion with a new museum space surrounding it.
When that expansion is completed, inaugural exhibits will explore the intersection of Jewish identity, community, and civic engagement. Visitors will be welcomed through an interactive, permanent exhibition in the historic synagogue, before proceeding to new gallery spaces, and then into a “community lab” that will host rotating workshop experiences for all visitors and school groups.
While waiting to open its doors, the Capital Jewish Museum has stayed active through a string of virtual events (still available online). Additionally, the acclaimed SUKKAH CITY x DC installation, held on the National Building Museum’s lawn this past fall, showcased sukkahs designed by renowned architects in order to explore the Sukkot holiday’s core theme of “welcoming the stranger.”
To learn more about the Capital Jewish Museum and its programming, head here!