Collections and Research
Preserving the material culture of the Jewish people is fundamental to the mission of Spertus. Our collections — of books, films, music, artworks, artifacts, rare antique maps, and archival items — number more than half a million.
The purpose of our collections is their relevance. It is our mission to share them creatively for learning, research, beauty, and wonder. Items from our collections are incorporated in our exhibits, courses, and public programming, and are available (in some cases onsite and in some cases online) to scholars, writers, journalists, curators, historians, students, and the general public.
Requests for Images
Please direct all requests for images of works from the Spertus collections to Collections Curator Ilana Segal at isegel@spertus.edu. There is a fee for this service.
If you are a journalist and need information or images, please visit our online Spertus Press Room or contact spertuspr@spertus.edu.
Donations and Appraisals
Please note that Spertus is not currently accepting new objects into the collections and that Spertus employees will not give monetary evaluations or appraisals of objects.