Brown Museum - Jamali Fine Arts, Jacksonville

Tucked into the city's oldest neighborhood, the African Jew Museum is an unconventional and deeply personal gallery that explores the intersection of African heritage and Jewish identity. Originally founded in 1994 by James Phillip Brown-a pharmacist turned passionate art collector-the museum evolved from a private outsider art collection into a space dedicated to the little-known histories of Jewish communities across Africa.

The building itself, renovated over several years through 2006, now houses a mix of sculptures, paintings, carvings, and ceremonial objects, many of which reflect the expressive, soulful style of artists like Jamali.

The museum’s exhibits chronicle the stories of African Jewish communities such as the Beta Israel of Ethiopia and the Lemba of South Africa. Visitors will find traditional clothing, religious texts, tools, jewelry, and masks that reveal how Jewish customs adapted within diverse African settings over centuries.