Our Collections

The Jewish Museum Vienna holds one of the largest and most significant collections of any Jewish museum worldwide. It consists of various subcollections, each with its own history and provenance; some include highly diverse types of objects.

One of the most important is the collection of the world’s first Jewish Museum, which opened its doors in Vienna in 1895. The “Society for the Collection and Preservation of Artistic and Historical Memorials of Jewry” had been founded two years earlier. Its founding members were Viennese Jews, many of whom had roots in the eastern regions of the Habsburg Monarchy and shared a strong interest in the newly emerging field of folklore studies.

The museum collected classical Jewish ritual objects, oil paintings, archival materials, and photographs. By the time the National Socialists forced its closure in 1938, the museum had amassed around 5,400 catalogued objects. In addition, there were numerous uncatalogued collections and documentary materials.

The collection of the first Jewish Museum is part of the IKG Collection (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien – the Jewish Community of Vienna), which has been on permanent loan to the Jewish Museum Vienna since 1992. Most of the remaining IKG Collection is not a collection in the traditional sense: it includes Torah ornaments and textiles, candelabra, charity boxes, and other objects from synagogues, houses of prayer, various Jewish institutions, and occasionally private homes. Most of these items were stolen, desecrated, destroyed, and violently torn from their original historical context during the November Pogrom of 1938.

Another foundational subcollection of the museum is the Judaica Collection of Max and Trude Berger, acquired by the City of Vienna. At the same time, the development of the museum’s own collection—the JMW Collection—began. In 1993, Martin Schlaff donated his collection of antisemitica to the City of Vienna for the Jewish Museum Vienna. A year later, in 1994, the highly diverse Stern Collection was purchased.

In total, the collections of the Jewish Museum Vienna today include over 25,000 objects. Beginning with the collection of the first Jewish Museum, large parts of these holdings are to be made digitally accessible to the public.

What can I find in the Online Collection?

The Online Collection currently presents primarily objects from the first Jewish Museum Vienna, of which about two-thirds have survived to the present day. A large portion of these are now accessible online, including more than 300 three-dimensional objects and textiles, ranging from ritual items and classic collectibles to historical everyday objects. For the first time, the museum is showing its collection of glass plate photographs, which the first Jewish Museum used to document its own collection, ritual items from Viennese synagogues, and even holdings from other Judaica collections. Another highlight is the collection of copperplate engravings featuring biblical scenes, some dating back to the 17th century. Archival materials such as historical correspondence, documents related to the history of Jews in the Habsburg Monarchy, and an extensive postcard collection offer valuable insight into the early museum’s collecting focus: the history of Jews in Vienna, especially ethnographic objects from Eastern Europe, as well as materials on the early Zionist movement and the development of Jewish settlement in Palestine. Exhibition panels created by the museum to present these materials are also included in the Online Collection.

The Jewish Museum Vienna’s Online Collection will continue to expand, adding further subcollections such as the IKG Collection, the Max and Trude Berger Collection, and the museum’s own diverse subcollections, which include family and artist estates as well as targeted acquisitions.

What can I not find in the Online Collection?

Neither the collection nor the archive of the Jewish Museum Vienna serves as a useful source for genealogical research. For such inquiries, the correct contact point is the IKG Archive, which maintains and researches the registers of Vienna’s Jewish community.

Furthermore, the antisemitica collection donated by Martin Schlaff will not be integrated into the Online Collection. The Jewish Museum Vienna does not wish to reproduce antisemitic stereotypes or present such material without curatorial or educational framing.

What search options and features are available?

Those who enjoy browsing can use the free-text search, explore “Search Suggestions,” click through various “Focus” objects, or take one of the specially curated “Digital Tours.” The “Filter” search is particularly useful for users who know exactly what they are looking for.

By clicking the star icon, objects can be temporarily saved as “Favorites.” This selection will remain available until you clear your browser’s cache. Your browser’s cookie settings may disable the Favorites feature.

To save your selection permanently or share it with someone, use the corresponding functions within “Favorites.” The generated link is permanently valid, and you can also save it to your browser’s bookmarks. In addition, you can download your album as a PDF file. Individual object records can also be downloaded as PDFs.

What may I use?

The use of images depends on the copyright status of the objects and their reproductions. There are two categories:

Images available for download
These can be used without permission (for any purpose, including commercial use). They are marked with a CC0 license.

Images protected by copyright or related rights
These are marked with CC BY 4.0 and may be used only upon request and with attribution of the rights holder. For assistance, contact: christiane.rainer@jmw.at

PDFs generated on the website may be used for private purposes only.

If you use images marked CC0, the museum kindly asks that you credit the photographers or creators and the Jewish Museum Vienna as the source. For CC BY 4.0 images, this is mandatory. It is recommended to use the full caption provided for each image and the suggested citation linked to each object. The museum welcomes specimen copies by mail (Jewish Museum Vienna, Dorotheergasse 11, 1010 Vienna) or links sent to sammlung@jmw.at.

Photo Orders

The Online Collection covers only part of the museum’s collections and is continually being expanded. If you cannot find an image of an object you are looking for, please contact: sammlung@jmw.at

Further information is available here:
https://www.jmw.at/forschung/archiv__bildanfragen