Jewish Museums as Migration Museums. Case Studies from Denmark and Norway

This article argues that Jewish museums can be considered museums of migration. The Danish Jewish Museum in Copenhagen presents the 400-year history of Jewish immigration to Denmark and the integration process of different waves of Jewish immigrants into Danish society. The Jewish Museum in Trondheim presents the immigrant history of a community whose founding ancestors came from a compact territory on the border of present-day Poland and Lithuania. The activities of both museums showcase the broader context of current social situation in Scandinavia, which is the destination of newcomers, refugees and asylum seekers. These museums show both positive experiences (successful integration) and difficult experiences (resentment against the “foreign”, “other” leading to genocide). The examination of Scandinavian case studies is presented in this text in connection with the activities of migration museums.