Kurier/ k.at
German original: https://k.at/news/juedisches-museum-wien-2019-mit-neuem-besucherrekord/400721334
The Jewish Museum, which is part of Wien Holding, marked a new attendance record in 2019, after it had already marked a new record in 2018. In 2019, 144,039 people visited the Museum’s two locations in Dorotheergasse (Palais Eskeles) and Judenplatz, representing an increase of some 10,000 persons. In 2020, the Museum will focus on two centennials.
The exhibition Arik Brauer. Alle meine Künste was a particular crowd puller and ranks second overall with 53,844 visitors after the Ringstrasse. Ein jüdischer Boulevard exhibition from 2015.
The two exhibitions The Ephrussis. Eine Zeitreise and Lady Blootooth. Hedy Lamarr, which opened in November, did pull in a combined 28,000 visitors. The documentation of the Ephrussi family and the now famous Rabbit with the Amber Eyes will also be shown at the Jewish Museum in New York City in the Spring of 2021.
Speaking of Guest Performances: according to the Jewish Museum, it was successful abroad as well. In sum, 120,000 people saw the exhibition Kabbalah at the Joods Museum in Amsterdam, Helena Rubinstein. Die Schönheitserfinderin at the Musee d'art et d'histoire du Judaisme in Paris, or VOID at the Austrian Cultural Forum New York.
“The increase of visitation numbers by eight percent in 2019 shows how much the Museum captures its audience with its multi-facetted exhibitions. The fact that the exhibition concerning the Austrian all-rounder Arik Brauer was received so well is particularly pleasing,” emphasizes Kurt Gollowitzer, director of Wien Holding. Danielle Spera, the museum’s director, expressed joy over the fact that more than half of visitors came from within Austria and that Viennese Jewish history could be related to them.
The 2020 program has already been finalized. An exhibition with the name of Jedermanns Juden will broach the issue of the 100 year jubilee of the Salzburg Festival. The architect of Austria’s federal constitution, Hans Kelsen, will be acknowledged as well; his work was also done 100 years ago.
Additional exhibits will focus on the Viennese Kindertransporte – those young Viennese who were sent abroad by themselves between 1938 and the outbreak of World War II in the Fall of 1939, as well as on Fluchtpunkt Shanghai. Many Austrian Jews sought refuge from National Socialism in the Chinese city. In November 2020, a new permanent exhibition on the Jewish Middle Ages will be opening as well.