Willesden Jewish Cemetery has become the first Jewish burial ground in the world to be featured on a prestigious arts and culture app.

The graveyard will join over 500 museums, galleries, sculpture parks and gardens on Bloomberg Connects, which offers online access to exhibitions and collections. 

It is also the first cemetery in the UK to appear on the app.

Through the app, which is free, users can explore the historic Jewish cemetery, founded in 1873 by the United Synagogue, and access images, audio recordings, a walking tour and a digital exhibition of archives. The content is available in 40 languages, including Hebrew.

Miriam Marson, head of heritage at the United Synagogue, said: “We are thrilled to be joining Bloomberg Connects and delighted that through the app many more people will have the opportunity to explore the historic Willesden Jewish Cemetery – both online and in person – and learn about the stories of the fascinating people buried here.”

Through its headstones, Willesden Jewish Cemetery tells the story of London’s Jewish community over the past 150 years. Nearly 30,000 men, women and children from a wide range of backgrounds have been buried there since 1873, including chemist Rosalind Franklin and banker and zoologist Walter Rothschild. People are still buried in the cemetery today.

The app is run by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the foundation established by American Jewish philanthropist and businessman Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg Philanthropies created the app as a part of their mission to make art and culture accessible to all. It has just come to Europe after its success in America.

Bloomberg Connect app users can access information about Willesden Jewish Cemetery in the palm of their hand (Photo: Bloomberg Connects)

paying tribute to staff and volunteers at the cemetery, Marson said: “We know Bloomberg Connects were impressed by the breadth of stories the team have researched and made available, and I want to pay tribute to our small team including many dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers who have worked on creating new audio and visual content for the app.

“Their contributions will improve access to our history and enhance the visitor experience. This is a proud moment for our team and for the Jewish community more widely: all major cultural institutions in the United States are affiliated with Bloomberg in the art world, and we are honoured to be in such illustrious company.”

Also joining Bloomberg Connects are the Centre for Contemporary Art in Tel Aviv and the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris.

Download the app here and search for Willesden Jewish Cemetery. For more information about volunteering at Willesden Jewish Cemetery, click here.