Contemporary Jewish Museum

Contemporary Jewish Museum Review

Fascinating museum buildings are sprouting up all over the city, and this Daniel Liebeskind-designed CJM is a real coup for SoMa. It's impossible to ignore that diagonal blue cube. The all-new addition jutting into a painstakingly restored power substation is a physical manifestation of the Hebrew phrase l'chaim (to life). And even if the architectural philosophy behind the design seems a bit esoteric, the blue, steel-clad cube—one of the most striking structures in town—creates a unique, light-filled space that merits a stroll through the lobby even if current exhibits don't entice you into the galleries. Be sure to check out the seam where old building meets new.