The Morris & Sally Justein Heritage Museum
The Morris & Sally Justein Heritage Museum (generously supported by the Austin family) provides an enjoyable and accessible cultural experience for families and clients at Baycrest. Our museum is a place for people of all ages to discover and enjoy the history and beauty of Jewish heritage. Exhibits are designed especially for residents and members of the community.
At Baycrest, we believe heritage programs are essential for residents, as they create an enriched, stimulating environment and help maintain a connection to life-long traditions and learnings. The museum’s permanent Judaica collection (numbering more than 1000 items) preserves Jewish treasures, to be enjoyed and admired by future generations.
Location
The museum is located on the ground floor of Baycrest hospital, near the Bathurst Street entrance.
Hours of Operation
Sunday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm for drop-in visits
Admission
Free
Treasures of Jewish Traditions
Ongoing
Showcasing objects from the museum’s permanent collection and those from the Baycrest community, this exhibit celebrates Jewish heritage and customs pertaining to religious holidays, the synagogue, life events, ceremonial objects, and rituals. The exhibition explores the history of Jewish traditions across regions as well as recognizing the contributions of the Baycrest community in helping to build the museum’s collection. The objects and stories on display reflect a shared Jewish heritage and celebrate the foundation and values of Baycrest’s cultural roots. Click here for more information.
The Kalifer Family Heritage and Legacy Project
The Heritage and Legacy Project is an initiative of the Department of Culture and Arts to record and share the stories of our community. By recording the wisdom of older adults for younger generations, the project aims to promote a sense of community through shared history.
We invited members of the Baycrest community, including staff, residents, clients, caregivers, family members, to take part in a video interview and share stories of significant events in their lives. These events range from their experiences in World War II, memories of growing up in Toronto, stories of Baycrest, and much more. Click here to view the video interviews.
Museum on Wheels
The Museum on Wheels program brings artifacts from the Museum’s permanent Judaica collection directly to individuals and groups of clients in the hospital, nursing home and day programs. The selection of artifacts is carefully curated to be multi-sensory, compelling, and thematic. Engaging with multisensory artifacts helps to evoke long-term memories and encourages the sharing of stories and knowledge.
Thanks to a generous gift from Bernyce and Marvin Kalifer and Family, the Museum on Wheels program has been updated with a custom-built cart. This specially designed cart protects the artifacts in transport and allows the program to reach more clients than ever before.
For more information about the Museum on Wheels program please contact our Museum Coordinator, Jessica Winter at 416-785-2500, ext. 6591 or email JWinter2@baycrest.org
Donation of Artifacts for our Museum
The exhibits and programs at the Morris and Sally Justein Heritage Museum are made possible through the generous support of our community.
To make a donation to the permanent collection of the Museum, contact our Museum Coordinator, Jessica Winter, at 416-785-2500, ext. 6591 or email JWinter2@baycrest.org
You will be asked to forward images of the item(s), along with a description of the object and what you know about its history. You may send this information via email or arrange a time to bring the object in person.
Each item is assessed and must meet the approval of our Museum Acquisitions Committee.
Gifts-in-kind are recognized by Baycrest at their appraised value, and tax receipts are issued. Outside appraisals, at the donor’s expense, are required for proposed donations whose value exceeds $1,000.
The Museum began collecting in the 1970s and has a collection of over 1,000 artifacts. As a result, we cannot accept every item we are offered. Our collecting priorities include: Judaic ceremonial art, historical objects dating from the turn of the century, and objects relating to the history of Baycrest. We do not generally accept books.
Explore the Museum!