Since it was established in 1988, the museum has pursued a targeted collection strategy, focusing on the Jewish history of Vienna. Due to the historical position of the metropolis, which, as the capital city and imperial seat, became a center of attraction for the Jewish population of the entire Danube Monarchy, we naturally look, research and collect beyond the city limits. The JMW Collection constitutes the most heterogeneous holdings in the museum. On the one hand, attempts are being made to track down and recover objects that can be proven to have been in the
holdings of the IKG or the
first Jewish Museum. On the other hand, great importance is attached to illustrating the diverse life and culture of Viennese Jewish women and men through the collection activity. Acquisitions and donations from the fields of art, politics, business, community life, as well as everyday objects reflect the breadth of Viennese Jewry. Another focus of the collection is the time of the Shoah and afterwards. As a result of flight and exile, the persecuted Jewish women and men scattered all over the world. The types of objects range from photos, personal documents, everyday items and paintings to classical Judaica.
