Jüdisches Museum Worms

About the museum

The first Judaica were displayed in Worms shortly after 1900 in the so-called Rashi Chapel next to the synagogue. The Jewish community began planning a small museum of its own in 1912, which Isidor Kiefer set up in 1924, after World War I. This collection was largely destroyed in the November pogrom of 1938; Kiefer's records of the holdings survived, however, because he was able to take them with him into emigration.

The present museum opened in 1982 in the rebuilt Raschi-Haus on Hintere Judengasse. The building stands on the site where the medieval Jewish house of study is believed to have been, where the scholar Rashi of Troyes studied around 1060; the vaulted cellars and parts of the first floor still date from the Middle Ages. The upper floors are used by the city archive, the photo archive and the monument protection authority of the city of Worms, which also runs the museum.

Since September 2020 the museum has presented the newly conceived permanent exhibition “SchUM am Rhein – Vom Mittelalter in die Moderne” (SchUM on the Rhine – From the Middle Ages to Modern Times). In four rooms covering about 160 square meters, it tells of the religion and everyday life of the Worms community, which, together with Speyer and Mainz, was among the most important Jewish centers in Central Europe. On display are objects rescued from the prewar collection, models, ritual objects and media stations. Since 2021 the SchUM sites have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the museum also serves as a starting point for visits to the neighboring synagogue with its mikveh and to the “Heiliger Sand” cemetery.

Highlights

• Silver cup of the burial society (Chevra Kadisha) from 1609
• Medieval vaulted cellars of the Raschi-Haus
• Permanent exhibition “SchUM am Rhein – Vom Mittelalter in die Moderne”
• The Worms Golem tradition
• A few steps from the synagogue with its medieval mikveh

Permanent exhibitions

• SchUM am Rhein – Vom Mittelalter in die Moderne – Permanent exhibition, on display since September 2020, on the religion and everyday life of the Jewish community of Worms from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, with rescued objects, models and media stations.

Founded

1982

Operated by

Stadt Worms (Stadtarchiv)

Director

Gerold Bönnen

Visitors per year

approx. 5,275 (2023)

Admission & discounts

No concessions are offered. Combination tickets are valid for one year from purchase.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to the museum, not accessible (historic building with vaulted cellar).

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

Via the A61 (exit Worms) or the A67 (exit Lorsch), then the B47 toward the city center.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available

No cloakroom – jackets and bags may be taken into the exhibition. Shop in the entrance area with Judaica literature and postcards. Food and drink are not permitted in the exhibition.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit