Along the sidewalls and over the western entrance there were massive arcade galleries for over 300 women, supported by multi-sided pillars.

It was built by a company from Berlin, Ende & Böckmann, chosen by the city council.

It was opened with a ceremony on 15 September 1887, by the Danzig rabbi Kossman Werner, in the presence of the city council and the faithful.

A large museum of Judaism contained many rare and old items, particularly the collection of Lesser Giełdziński.

Danzig was closely tied to Germany, from which it was officially separated by the Treaty of Versailles, and it became an increasingly unpleasant place for Jews, particularly after March 1933, when the local Nazi party won control of the city government.

The communities' leaders decided to safeguard some of their relics – the archives were shipped to Jerusalem, the library to Vilnius, and the museum to the United States.

At the same time, mounting fiscal pressure forced the synagogue to sell the organs to Kraków, candlesticks to Warsaw, and the benches to Nowy Port.

A banner was hung on a fence surrounding the building with the text: "Come, lovely May, and free us from the Jews".