Manchester Jewish Museum

We were in Manchester today wondering what to do in the afternoon. Some time ago I visited the Manchester Jewish Museum , I was doing some research on the British Union of Fascists, who were very well supported in the Cheetham Hill and the Salford areas. The Jewish Museum has some wonderful audio work with interviews of Jewish people who arrived, or whose parents arrived, at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. So we went to visit.

Admission is less than a fiver and we expected to pass an hour wandering around the former synagogue. In the end we were there nearer three hours and enjoyed every minute. The volunteer guides were extremely helpful and well informed, and the exhibitions and displays vividly portray the life of Jewish migrants in one of Manchester's poorest areas. The stories of many of the immigrants and their rags to riches stories were inspiring and in many cases humbling. Anybody with even a passing interest in history must visit this museum, it really is inspiring.

Financing a museum is a constant struggle and the Manchester Jewish Museum is no exception, they need all the help they can get so visits by paying customers are crucial. If you can't visit I'm sure they would appreciate donations.