In Shanghai’s Hongkou District, the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum tells the story of European Jews who found refuge in the city during World War II. Housed in the historic Ohel Moishe Synagogue, it uses photographs, personal accounts and objects to trace the community’s history and daily life. The exhibitions cover both the circumstances that brought refugees to Shanghai and the ways they built a community there. Allow time to take in the displays quietly, then cross to Peace Park to see its bronze plaque dedicated to Jewish refugees.
A refuge in Hongkou
The museum is in Ohel Moishe Synagogue, built in 1927 by Shanghai’s Russian Ashkenazi Jewish community. In the 1930s and during World War II, Jewish people fleeing persecution in Europe came to Shanghai. The museum focuses on their lives in Hongkou, the district where the refugee community settled.
The synagogue became a spiritual center for the Jewish community in Shanghai’s ghetto. Today, its former role and the refugees’ experiences are presented through museum displays, connecting the building’s history with the story of the people who lived in the area.
Photographs, objects and personal accounts
The exhibitions use photographs, personal stories and authentic objects to explain how refugees reached Shanghai and how they lived there. Displays cover practical survival as well as everyday and cultural life, giving you more to follow than a timeline of events.
Take time with the individual accounts and objects. They bring the history down to the level of people’s experiences, while the wider exhibition sets those stories in the context of a community formed by people escaping persecution. English-language tours are offered every hour and can add context to the history of Ohel Moishe Synagogue.
Continue the visit across the road
Peace Park is opposite the museum. A bronze plaque there, written in Chinese, English and Hebrew, is dedicated to the Jewish refugees. It gives you a nearby place to reflect on the history after seeing the exhibitions.
The surrounding neighborhood is also connected to Shanghai’s Jewish history. European-style row houses and other older buildings remain in the area. If you have time, walk through the nearby streets after your museum visit; the park and neighborhood offer a wider sense of the district in which the refugee community lived.
Perguntas frequentes
Where is the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum?
It is at 62 Changyang Road in Hongkou District, Shanghai, in the historic Ohel Moishe Synagogue.
How long does a visit take?
Allow about 30 to 60 minutes to see the exhibition. An English-language tour is another way to explore the site.
Are English-language tours available?
Yes. English-language tours are offered every hour.
What else can I see nearby?
Peace Park is across the road and has a bronze plaque dedicated to Jewish refugees. The surrounding Hongkou neighborhood also has buildings connected to the area’s history.
