News
A look back at 2024
December 30, 2024
The moments of engagement and discovery this past calendar year have reminded us of the power of the Magnes’s collections to bring people together and build a place for gathering, connection, and dialogue.
Our Community
Public Programs
In 2024 the Magnes hosted an impressive lineup of 30 programs. Highlights included special film screenings of Vishniac and A City Without Jews; lectures on protecting cultural heritage, the satirical world of Dzigan and Shumacher, and the afterlife of a shtetl; and performances by the Yiddish Theatre Ensemble, Victoria Hanna, and Elana Sasson.
Campus Connections
As a museum within UC Berkeley, the Magnes supports research, teaching, and learning across academic disciplines. 2024 saw over 25 class visits, a robust Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship program, and a collections-based Jewish Studies course, providing opportunities for students to gain new perspectives through object based learning.
Expanded Engagement
2024 connected a wide audience with the collection through engaging programs, including a community day in collaboration with Berkeley Unified School District celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month, a group of dedicated teen volunteers planning programming for their peers, and a monthly PJ Library Story Hour.
Museum Visitors
With expanded public hours that include Sundays, staff-led group tours, and free admission to the museum and public programs, over 3,750 visitors came to the Magnes in 2024, connecting people of all backgrounds with the history, vibrancy, and diversity of Jewish life.
The Collection
In Plain Sight: Jewish Arts and Lives in the Muslim World
Co-curated by Magnes Curator Dr. Francesco Spagnolo and scholar of Islamic art Dr. Qamar Adamjee, In Plain Sight opened in August, highlighting cultural affinities and common threads through Jewish objects originating from Muslim lands. – Learn more
Cities and Wars and the Roman Vishniac Archive
In the first half of 2024, the Magnes shared the exhibition Cities and Wars: Roman Vishniac in Berlin and Jerusalem 1947/1967 combining two rarely seen sets of images from the Roman Vishniac Archive. Throughout the year, the collections team, including student colleagues, continued processing the vast archive.
Thank you
2024 has been a year filled with exciting programs and exhibitions, renewed and expanded community engagement, and insightful research and scholarship with the museum, archive, and library collections.
With your support, the Magnes will continue to shine as a place for connection, dialogue, and shared experiences. If you haven’t yet made an end-of-year contribution, now is the perfect time.
Learn more about supporting the Magnes.
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