Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience
The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience (MSJE) is a culturally rich “jewel box” museum located in New Orleans’ Central Business District. It tells a story that had never been told in a dedicated institution before: the journey of Jewish immigrants in the American South and their many contributions to Southern society. The narrative spans 13 states and more than 350 years of U.S. history, making the museum both deeply regional and profoundly national in scope.
Designed by Gallagher & Associates and curated by Anna Tucker, the museum is rooted in community storytelling. Many members of the Southern Jewish community personally know the people and stories represented on its walls, giving the institution a uniquely intimate and authentic voice.
Our Role — And Unexpected Challenges
Solomon Group supported the MSJE board throughout the development of their first permanent museum. Our team provided consulting across multiple facets — from fabrication and graphic production to exhibit casework, AV integration, and artifact mount making.
When Hurricane Zeta, a Category 3 storm, flooded the site in October 2020, our team was forced to pivot quickly. Despite widespread outages across New Orleans, we adapted designs on the fly — raising platforms, creating airflow beneath exhibits, and ensuring long-term resilience against future flooding.
Recognition
Since opening, the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience has received multiple honors, underscoring its significance as both a cultural and community institution:
- Named a Top 5 “Best New Attraction” in the USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards (2021 and 2023), the highest-ranked Louisiana museum on the list
- Recognized by the Southeastern Museums Conference in 2021, winning in its exhibition budget category
- Awarded the Richard J.H. Gottheil Medal in 2025 by Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, joining a distinguished list of recipients for advancing human understanding
Why It Matters
By blending artifact-driven history with immersive media, the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience makes the case that understanding the experiences of Southern Jews is essential to understanding both the American Jewish story and the broader history of the United States as a country of immigrants.
We were honored to contribute to a project so deeply tied to community memory, resilience, and cultural identity — helping transform a historic building into a museum that preserves and amplifies these vital stories.
