Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art, Memphis

About Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art

The Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art displays nearly 1,000 objects across 14,000 square feet of exhibition space in downtown Memphis. Visitors explore three permanent galleries: the Main Gallery with Judaic Section, the Tusk Gallery, and the Imperial Retreat Gallery. The museum is known informally as "The Jade Museum" for its extensive collection of jade sculptures. The Asian collection features artworks from the Qing Dynasty, China's final dynasty, spanning 1644 to 1911. The Judaic Section includes newly displayed pieces and an original work by founder Jack Belz. The collection began when Jack and Marilyn Belz started acquiring Asian art in 1968 and grew substantially over decades. Beyond jade and Chinese art, the museum also displays Russian lacquer boxes, contemporary glass, Italian mosaics, and scholar's rocks. The museum offers guided tours including Asian tours, Judaic gallery tours, and Holocaust Memorial Gallery tours. Located at the concourse level on South Main Street, the museum serves art enthusiasts and history-minded visitors.