Maltz Museum sets up Project Mah Jongg

BEACHWOOD, Ohio - The game mah jongg has been part of American culture since 1922. Now in 2012, the game will be featured at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood as it presents Project Mah Jongg.

Project Mah Jongg, an exhibition exploring the traditions, history, and meaning of the game, was created by the the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City.

The exhibition was wildly popular and a traveling version was developed. Its only scheduled Midwest appearance will be January 24 through April 22 at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. After that, it will go to a cultural center in L.A.

The colorful exhibition includes original artwork by Christoph Niemann, Isaac Mizrahi, Maira Kalman and Bruce McCall; beautiful early game sets made of bone, Bakelite, and bamboo; vintage advertisements and household items; Chinoiserie; and instruction materials.

The Maltz Museum has added vintage mah jongg sets and rule cards from area Clevelanders, period costumes on loan from the Kent State University Museum, and a short film by area filmmakers Amy Wasserstrom Cummings and John Cummings. Titled May the Tiles Be with You: Cleveland’s Love Affair with Mah Jongg, the documentary records the mah jongg memories of Clevelanders.

You can submit your own stories about the game by clicking this link: www.maltzmuseum.org/share-story/

Full details on the exhibition, programs, and events can be found on the "Happenings" calendar of the museum website.

Tickets for all events and programs can be purchased by calling the Museum at (216) 593-0575.