If you haven't been to the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum yet, it is something you certainly should visit. In 2021, the museum was re-opened after a massive, year-long renovation, converting it into a striking experience with noteworthy design.

A Harbor Amidst Chaos

The museum occupies the former Ohel Moishe Synagogue, originally built in 1927 for the small but vibrant Sephardic Jewish community in Shanghai. By the late 1930s, however, the synagogue became a lifeline and place of worship for a different group: thousands of European Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. Denied entry by most nations, these refugees found an unlikely haven in Shanghai – a city that required no visa for entry at the time.

In the midst of the war, Shanghai's openness saved approximately 20,000 lives. It was a gesture of humanity at a time when such compassion was scarce. The Hongkou District, where most of the Jewish refugees lived, became a melting pot of cultures, languages, and survival stories. The history of this time and place became enshrined in the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum.

The city continues to upgrade its culture and tourism ecosystem, and this is another feather in the city's hat, as they have just unveiled the museum's newly upgraded bilingual Chinese and English website. It has enhanced content and upgrades to the user experience for a more user-friendly, interactive and globally accessible design (it's pretty cool).

Here are a few of the neat upgrades that make this quite a substantial institutional contribution to the history of that period of time:

Tracing History Made Easier

The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum has launched a new online search function that offers descendants of Jewish refugees a streamlined way to reconnect with their past. By entering English names into the database, users can discover if their relatives sought sanctuary in Shanghai during World War II. This meaningful feature serves a dual purpose: helping families uncover personal histories while enriching the museum's archival records.

The Wall of Names: A Living Tribute

One of the museum's most iconic features is the "Wall of Names," prominently displayed in the central plaza. First unveiled in September 2014 with 13,732 names, this memorial pays homage to the Jewish refugees who found safety in Shanghai during the 1930s and 1940s. By 2020, the list had expanded to 18,578 names, thanks to meticulous research and contributions from families, historians, and supporters.

In a poignant acknowledgment of history as an evolving story, the wall includes a blank section left intentionally for future updates. This ensures that new names, as they are discovered, can be added, reinforcing the museum's commitment to preserving the collective memory of those who found refuge here.

A Growing Record of Refugees

The museum's efforts to document this history have been ongoing. Over the past four years, significant support from families, researchers, and global institutions has enabled the collection of more than 19,000 names of Jewish refugees who lived in Shanghai. These efforts highlight Shanghai's role as an unexpected but life-saving haven during one of history's darkest periods.

Preserving and Expanding the Narrative

This new database and the continued expansion of the Wall of Names are not just about remembering the past – they're about ensuring that the stories of resilience and refuge remain accessible to future generations. For descendants of refugees, this initiative is an invaluable bridge to a lost chapter of family history. For the museum, it represents a commitment to shining a light on a unique and inspiring moment in Shanghai's history.

The Name Wall: Where Precision Meets Meaning

At the core of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum is the Name Wall – a place where names transcend data and become stories. It's directly connected to a groundbreaking database, designed with obsessive attention to detail. Every name is arranged by surname, given name, and gender – a seamless integration of order and purpose.

Preserving the Integrity of History

This isn't just a database. It's a portal to the past. Built on original documents, it reflects the names refugees carried with them in Shanghai. But life is complicated, and so are names. Some refugees changed theirs after leaving. For safety. For marriage. For reinvention.

Take Sonja Muehlberger. Born Sonja Krips in Shanghai, she took her husband's surname after marrying in Germany. But here, in this database, she's remembered as Sonja Krips – the name tied to her Shanghai story. Its history is preserved with intention.

A Search Engine That Thinks Different

The museum understood something fundamental: the human experience isn't always neat. That's why their search function is designed for flexibility. You don't need the perfect name, just three consecutive letters from a surname or given name, and the system does the rest.

It's intuitive, intelligent, and empathetic – a tool built to navigate the complexities of a fractured past.

Filling the Gaps in the Narrative

And the work doesn't stop at what's already there. Take the story of a recent visitor, an overseas descendant armed with a list of names. Only one matched the Name Wall. For some museums, that would have been the end of the road. Not here. Digging deeper, the staff working at the museum uncovered that the other names belonged to individuals who stayed in Shanghai briefly before moving on. Now, they're part of the record.

The museum has created a living, evolving system that is an innovative way of shaping how we connect to the past.

In addition to the search function, the upgraded website offers improved sections covering permanent exhibitions, featured collections, cultural products, news updates, and event announcements.

These upgrades provide a more intuitive and visually engaging way for visitors to explore the museum's highlights and latest developments.

Currently, the updated website is in its trial phase. The museum welcomes feedback and will continue to refine and improve the platform to provide an even better user experience.