National Museum of Italian Judaism and Shoah, Ferrara
National Museum of Italian Judaism and Shoah (MEIS) is a new and ambitious project. A newly born museum disseminates the history and culture of Italian Jews through its exhibitions and information activities. And Ferrara is rightly considered to be the capital of Jews in Italy, becausethe first Jews started to come here after being expelled from Spain in the 15th century.
History
The building in which the collections are housed is as young as the museum itself. It was built as a new city prison in 1906 to replace the old institution of 1798. In 1912 the works were completed, and on September 14 of the same year the first prisoners were placed here. Already in 1992 a new, more modern prison was built. Since then, the building has fallen into decay. To occupy vacant space, the city administration in 2007 transferred the building to the ownership of the MEIS organization for the creation of the museum. Everyone was victorious: the Jewish community created a museum near the historical center, and the city authorities lost the dilapidated building almost in the center of Ferrara. At the end of 2010, the restoration of the main building was completed, and in December of the same year the first temporary exhibition of the museum was opened. Work on restoring the remaining buildings of the former prison is ongoing now.
Exposition of the museum
Nowadays, the museum only increases its activities and collections. Its permanent expositin is still small. It includes a little more than 200 precious and rare items. Among them: 20 manuscripts, 7 incunabula, 18 medieval documents, 49 tombstones of the epoch of the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages, as well as 121 jewels (coins, medallions, amulets, lamps, rings). The first permanent exhibition of the museum tells the story of Italian Jews through documents and images. Part of the traditional and religious objects used in various Jewish ceremonies is now placed in the exhibition halls. It belongs to the Jewish Museum, which was closed for restoration.
One of the main activities of MEIS is the organization of a Jewish book festival in Italy. And the second direction is the regular holding of temporary exhibitions on various topics related to Jewish culture. The organization also conducts restoration works all the time to realize the project of a beautiful and large museum.
How to get there
The museum is located near the historic heart of Ferrara, on Via Piangipane, 81. Next to it there is a park area that encircles the center of the city. In a 10-minute walk from the museum there is the Cathedral Museum and Castle of Saint Michele. Nearby there is a bus stop Piangipane Ripagrande (routes 2, 3, 11, 21, 390, 394).
Opening hours: on Thursday from 10:00 to 23:00, on other days – from 10:00 to 18:00. Monday is a day off. Phone numbers: (+39) 0532 769137, (+39) 0532 1912039.
Admission: the price of a full ticket is 10 euros, with a discount (children (6-18), students (18-25), pensioners over 65) – 8 euros. For groups of 8-15 people the price is 6 euros. For groups of 15-20 people and schools, the ticket price is 5 euros. For children under 6 years – admission is free. Data of June 2018.
