students viewing artwork at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art
students viewing artwork at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art
students viewing artwork at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art
students viewing artwork at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art
Welcome to The Magnes
Welcome to The Magnes

Discover the rich mosaic of Jewish cultures from around the world.

Visit The Magnes
Visit The Magnes

Stop by the museum and explore our exhibitions. Admission is free.

Explore the Magnes
Explore
The Magnes

Art, textiles, ceramics, texts — objects of sacred ritual and everyday use.

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Double your impact!

During the High Holidays season, your donation will be matched by a generous Magnes supporter (up to $5000).

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What's On at The Magnes

Exhibitions and Public Programs that foster community, learning, and deeper understanding.

Lavater and Lessing Visit Moses Mendelssohn (1856) by Moritz Daniel Oppenheim

The Magnes Collection

The material culture of Jewish life throughout history and across the globe.

woman playing the piano at an art opening

Research at The Magnes

Explore the archives, library, exhibitions, and holdings on site and online.

Cities and Wars: Roman Vishniac in Berlin and Jerusalem (1947/1967) exhibition images

NEW EXHIBITION

Cities & Wars: Roman Vishniac in Berlin & Jerusalem 1947/1967

Cities and Wars brings together Roman Vishniac’s previously unseen images of Berlin in 1947 after the Second World War and Jerusalem in 1967 after the Six-Day War. The exhibition highlights the unique gaze of the artist, who considered both cities “home,” and carefully chronicles the devastating effects of war on urban life.

UPCOMING EVENTS

100 Years of the Yiddish Song: 1920s-2020s

Oct 26 @ 5:00 pm

Over the course of a turbulent and tortuous century, the Yiddish song has survived and is even thriving in today’s flowering of performance and songwriting. Professor Mark Slobin’s lecture will cover both the continuity and the new creativity of this history.

Latest News

News about The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life. Learn about exhibitions, programs, events, and collection highlights.

Celebrating the Jewish New Year with a fundraising match

Celebrating the Jewish New Year with a fundraising match

Image: Artist unknown. New Year's postcard, 20th century. Print on card. 76.242.2 I love that the Jewish New Year coincides with the start of a new school year. Both begin with feelings of excitement and promise for the new year ahead and simultaneously invite...

The Magnes opens with new exhibition

The Magnes opens with new exhibition

The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life at the University of California, Berkeley opens on Tuesday, August 29th, for the fall 2023 semester with a new exhibition, Cities and Wars: Roman Vishniac in Berlin and Jerusalem 1947-1967. Drawing from the vast Roman...

The Magnes to present new exhibition of Photographer Roman Vishniac

The Magnes to present new exhibition of Photographer Roman Vishniac

BERKELEY — The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life announces its newest exhibition, Cities and Wars: Roman Vishniac in Berlin and Jerusalem (1947/1967), opening August 29, 2023 and featuring never before seen work by Russian-Jewish photographer Roman Vishniac...

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