Jüdisches Museum Augsburg Schwaben

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The Great Synagogue on Augsburg's Halderstraße was built between 1913 and 1917 to plans by Fritz Landauer and Heinrich Lömpel. With its dome and rich decoration, it is considered one of the most beautiful synagogues in Europe. As the only big-city synagogue in Bavaria, its structure survived the Nazi era largely intact; today it is used by the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Schwaben-Augsburg (Jewish community of Swabia-Augsburg), which has grown considerably through immigration from the former Soviet Union.

After the synagogue complex was restored, the Jüdisches Museum Augsburg Schwaben was established in the west wing in 1985. It is considered the oldest foundation-run Jewish museum in Germany. The permanent exhibition from 2006 tells the history of Jewish life in Augsburg and Bavarian Swabia from the Middle Ages to the present, with a focus on rural Jewry, which developed in the region's villages after the expulsions of the late Middle Ages. Changing interventions bridge the gap to the present day.

Since 2014 the museum has used the former Kriegshaber synagogue as a second location; it is the oldest surviving synagogue building in Bavarian Swabia, with a Torah ark, ceiling paintings, and a women's gallery. The synagogue complex in the city center has been undergoing gradual restoration since 2022. As a result, the city center location will close for several years from November 2, 2026; exhibitions, tours, and events will then continue in Kriegshaber, and the permanent exhibition is to be redesigned as part of the restoration.

Highlights

• Great Synagogue of 1917 with monumental dome
• Permanent exhibition on rural Jewry in Swabia
• Former Kriegshaber synagogue with Torah ark and women's gallery
• Lesecafé Landauer (reading café) and museum shop with Judaica
• Jüdische Kulturwoche Augsburg Schwaben (Jewish Culture Week)

Permanent exhibitions

• Dauerausstellung Jüdisches Leben in Augsburg und Schwaben – History and culture of the Jews in the region from the Middle Ages to the present, with a focus on rural Jewry; on view at the city center location only until November 1, 2026.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Stiftung Jüdisches Kulturmuseum Augsburg-Schwaben

Director

Dr. Carmen Reichert

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free admission every Sunday (city center location)

Free admission for children up to age 6 and for members of the Museumsbund and ICOM. Present proof on site.

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

City center location currently not accessible. Former Kriegshaber synagogue partially accessible with an accessible parking space; please inquire about access in advance (kh@jmaugsburg.de, 0821 44428717).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Family tour "Unterwegs mit den Synagogenmäusen" (On the Go with the Synagogue Mice) for children ages 6 to 9 on selected dates (registration required, children free). Tours for all age groups can be booked.

Getting there & parking

From November 2, 2026, Kriegshaber location (Ulmer Straße 228): tram 2 to Neusäßer Straße or bus 32 to Gieseckestraße, about 20 minutes from the city center; only street parking with a parking disc there, no parking garage nearby.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Lesecafé Landauer; museum shop with books, Judaica, and kosher wine. Lockers (small bags must be locked away).

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties

Rooms in the former Kriegshaber synagogue (including a seminar room) can be rented for private events and seminars.

Plan your visit