Since 2006, Professor Kirshenblatt-Gimblett supervised a team of scholars, curators and designers involved in the creation of the core exhibition of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Together, they created a unique multimedia narrative exposition which to date has been toured by nearly two million visitors from all across the globe. The core exhibition’s success was a vital factor in POLIN Museum being granted the title of the European Museum of the Year in 2016—the first such title for a Polish museum in the EMYA competition history..

Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett is a scholar of world renown who boasts great achievements in both academia and the museum world. Professor Emerita of New York University, she has recently been appointed a member of the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Professor Kirshenblatt-Gimblett holds honorary degrees from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, the University of Haifa, and Indiana University; she was also presented with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. She is member of academic boards of the Jewish museums in Vienna, Berlin and Moscow. Her parents hailed from Poland.

The post of Chief Curator of the core exhibition has been funded by Ronald S. Lauder, a philanthropist, diplomat and entrepreneur, head of the World Jewish Congress since 2007. Mr Lauder, one of our most important distinguished benefactors, has been closely associated with our Museum from its very inception. Owing to his generosity, POLIN Museum has expanded its collection and acquired many unique objects, including the most precious artwork on display at the core exhibition.