The 2-floors Museum is located in the city center, describes the life of the Jewish community of Thessaloniki through the ages.
Until the Holocaust, the Jewish community of Thessaloniki was one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. With 50,000 citizens, they were more than one-third of the city population and significantly influenced commerce and culture.
The Jewish population of the city started to flourish after the Jew's expulsion from Spain in 1492. They established one of the largest and most important Sephardi Jewish communities in the world.
The building that hosts the museum was built in 1904 as a commercial building and later
hosted the local branch of the Bank of Athens. It was one of the few buildings that survived the big fire of 1917.
The museum presents documents, photos, art, and religious objects that characterize the life of the Jews in Thessaloniki. Inside the museum, you can also find a library and research center, hosts scripts and books from the 16th century.
A special exhibition is dedicated to the Holocaust, during which almost 50,000 Jews of
Thessaloniki was deported to extermination camps.