Jewish Museum receives prestigious education honour

The Jewish Museum in London has won a prestigious educational award for the way in which it explains Jewish life to schoolchildren.

The Camden site scooped the Sandford Award for Excellence in Museum Learning given by the Heritage Education Trust.

Past winners include wartime code-breaking centre Bletchley Park, the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Lincoln Cathedral, and the old Naval College at Greenwich.

The Jewish Museum’s acting director Sue Shave said: “We are extremely proud that the amazing learning programmes have been recognised with this prestigious award by national experts in museum learning at the Heritage Education Trust.”

Dr Tracy Borman from Heritage Education Trust delivered the award in a virtual ceremony, praising the Jewish Museum for having “an excellent learning team who explain all aspects of Jewish life to schools in a sympathetic and knowledgeable way”.

She added that a visit would “teach pupils to think and question, and through the study of Jewish life, encounter many issues that are currently relevant”.

Founded in 1932, the museum tells the story of the Jewish community in Britain and explores themes of migration, family, faith, and culture.

It has four permanent galleries showcasing films, photography, objects, and interactive exhibits that reflect the culture of the Jewish community, from lovingly recreated London streets to the thought-provoking stories of Holocaust survivors.