According to the spokesperson for the museum Noemi Holeková, the objective of the Association of Friends of the Jewish Museum in Prague is to help maintain the monuments of Prague Jewish Town and to make it as widely accessible as possible. "Membership will closely acquaint its members with the wealth of Jewish history, the magic of Jewish traditions and the singularity of Jewish art," said the spokesperson. Members of the association will also be able to attend evening programmes in the Educational and Cultural Centre of the museum for free. They will also receive e.g. free tickets to concerts in the Spanish Synagogue.
Membership costs 1000 CZK, family membership for parents and two children costs 1500 CZK.
The Jewish Museum in Prague was founded in 1906 as a reaction to a vast redevelopment of the Prague Jewish Quarter. Besides the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Ceremonial Hall, the museum also administrates the Spanish, Maisel, Pinkas and Klausen Synagogues. The Rudolf Guttmann Gallery presents its collection of works. The collections of the museums expanded mostly during WW II, when it served as storage for objects confiscated by the Nazis in Jewish communities in Bohemia and Moravia.
Although the Jewish Museum in Prague is the most visited museum in the Czech Republic, the number of visitors has recently dropped. Last year, the exhibitions were seen by over 612,000 visitors, the year before by over 673,000. Due to the economic crisis, 11 percent fewer people came to Prague over the first six months of the year. According to Ms. Holeková, visitors to the museum, who are mostly foreign, are mainly interested in the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Spanish Synagogue.
Source: ČTK