The museum was founded in 1973 and was located in the Mendel Gottesman Library on the University's Washington Heights campus, until it became a partner of the Center for Jewish History in 2000.

The museum aims to provide a window into Jewish culture around the world and throughout history through multi-disciplinary exhibitions and publications.

Highlights of the collection include: Yeshiva University Museum’s holdings embrace several significant collections of Jewish art and material culture, including: The museum consists of four galleries, an exhibition arcade, an outdoor sculpture garden, a docent lounge, a children’s workshop room, and a suite of offices.

Other offerings include family craft workshops, lectures, films, concerts, and multilingual exhibition tours in English, Hebrew, Spanish, Russian, and Yiddish.

The Yeshiva University Museum’s outreach programs work with New York City public schools to provide students with art education and teachers with professional development.