The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art (84)
- Jul 14
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
TULSA
I'm not going to lie, I needed this museum. I didn't know I NEEDED to see it, but that's certainly how the day turned out. Not because it's on the giant list of Oklahoma museums, but because it's a magnificent place to be. Marcy, the social media director, asked me what my favorite thing in the museum was and I didn't have a good answer. I quite often have a favorite part of a museum or a favorite work of art or bit of history. But narrowing down a "Best Bits" section of the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art is impossible. Like every other museum, I don't research what's in it before I go. I want to be surprised when I get in there. I wasn't just surprised, I was awed. And, no, I didn't take pictures of every single thing in the museum. Very close, but not everything! HA!
I started out my visit by having a great conversation with Melissa, the receptionist at the front. Nothing sets you up for a great museum experience like having a pleasant person be your introduction to the collections. After I quit yapping and let them get back to their work, I hit the first gallery next to the entrance. It's a rotating art exhibit space which had recently been changed to feature the works of Yaacov Agam. (He's the guy below with the white beard.) Yaacov is a pioneer of kinetic art which highlights the use of color and lines to emulate movement in the artwork. I've seen some of his work before, but everything here, I had never seen. It was a very cool collection.
I decided to roam around downstairs first to see the huge stained glass windows, a few art pieces, the Oklahoma WWII Veterans Memorial, and the hallway/exhibit space lined with amazing works by Michael Knigin. It was down the hallway with the Knigin works that I spotted an open door and what appeared to be the "backstock room." I learned it was the museum's permanent collection of art and artifacts that get switched out and displayed from time to time. I asked the guy working in there if it would be okay if I took a wide shot of the room (the last photo!). Thankfully, he said it would be okay. I found out that he was Greg, the museum's Director of Collections. He invited me in to show me works from the exhibit that he had just taken down. It was the work of Hungarian artist, Theodore Fried. I was trying to play it cool, but inside I was freaking out. There were so many paintings and drawings. I thought, "This has to be one of the biggest collections of his work." Then Greg said (paraphrased), "We have the largest collection of Fried works in the world." My little art history brain melted. If you haven't experienced the works of Theodore Fried, or know much about him, look him up. His life and work are beyond interesting. Greg had to go lead a tour, so I went back to roaming around.
I went upstairs to see what was up there and I was thrilled to see what they had. At the top of the stairs was a cleverly put together exhibit called "Tchotchke", a collection of knick knacks from Jewish artist. Loved it! The middle section of the top floor is filled with Judaic relics, ornate Torah scrolls and cases, ceremonial areas, clothes, pop culture displays, and the tools and instruments used in rites and celebrations. There was also a great interactive display that shows interior photos of synagogues from all over the world taken by Louis Davidson. Off in one hallway was the collage-like pop culture exhibit where entertainers with Hebraic heritage line the walls. Me being a music nerd, this area put a big smile on my face. GEDDY LEE!!! and others. HA! I saw all the photos and lists and couldn't help but start singing "David Lee Roth lights the menorah..." from Adam Sandler's "Hanukkah Song." Such a great exhibit. And just when I thought I was done, there is another fine art gallery featuring the works of Igael Tumarkin. It felt like I had already been through three different museums, but I still had one more section to go. I went back downstairs so I could begin at the beginning.
I stepped into the hushed atmosphere of the Sanditen/Kaiser Holocaust Center. I assumed I knew what was coming, at least basically. I've read books and seen movies and documentaries about the second world war. I've seen photos and read personal accounts of concentration camp prisoners and survivors. Reading WWII books and seeing photos and films is a great way to start to make yourself aware of the tragedies that happened in the 30's and 40's. But being in this Holocaust memorial brings the knowledge of events to a new level. The exhibit is presented on two floors. It starts with Anti-Semitism throughout history and leads you through a maze of the hatred that kept getting worse and worse until WWII and still goes on today. The entire exhibit was so tastefully done that you didn't get the sense that it was there to sensationalize what happened. It was set up to tell the story respectfully, but in all of its stark reality. Something that lacks in our society these days is tact and poise when it comes to presenting a story, especially a tragic story. This exhibit was able to present all the horrors of the war, and all the misdeeds of the oppressors, without compromising the dignity of the countless families that were struck down, humiliated, and killed. I whole-heartedly applaud the crew that researched and set up this exhibit. Nice work.
So, if you're interested in a museum that's been around for 60 years (60!!) that covers pretty much everything related to the Jewish community like art, history, architecture, genealogy, relics, Joey Ramone, and on and on, look no further than the unbelievably cool Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa. So worth the trip.
2021 E. 71st Street, Tulsa
918-492-1818
Entry Fee: Adults-$8, Seniors(55+)-$7, Students(13-21)-$6, Groups of 10 or more-$5each
Hours: Mon, Tue, Thur, & Fri - 10:00 to 5:00, Sat&Sun - 12:00 to 5:00, Wed - Groups Only
Jonathan Elmore ©2026
