The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU is a museum that is a department of Florida International University that preserves Florida Jewish history, culture, and art. and is located in two restored historic buildings that were formerly synagogues in Miami Beach, Florida.
The main museum building, at 301 Washington Ave., was built in 1936, is on the National Register of Historic Places, has Art Deco features, a copper dome, a marble bimah, and 80 stained glass windowsl it evoke the beauty and aura of the Art Deco era in which the museum was built.
The building at 311 Washington, which served as Miami Beach's first synagogue, was purchased by the museum in 2005 and restored in 2007 as a museum expansion.
The museum's core exhibit, MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida includes more than 500 photos and artifacts that depict the Jewish experience in Florida since 1763. The museum also has temporary exhibits every year.
The museum is located in Miami Beach's first synagogue, the original home of Congregation Beth Jacob, was designed by architect H. Frasser Rose and built in 1929 at 311 Washington Avenue. The site was chosen because at the time the synagogue was built, Jews were concentrated in the south end of the city, due to restrictions on where they were allowed to live.
The top of the building façade has a contemporary plaque reading "Beth Jacob Social Hall, 5689-1929." The façade is crowned by the tablets with the Ten Commandments. Inside, the main hall is two stories in height. The museum's collection comprises more than 100,000 artifacts, objects, photographs, documents, and religious objects relating to Florida Jewish heritage
