The Uilenburgersjoel, a synagogue from 1766, was, besides a religious building, also a community center of sorts. It was used for various other activities such as wedding parties and a butchery. The building was ransacked during World War II. In 1954, the municipality bought the building and established the municipal restoration workshop. From 1988 to 2009, the National Restoration Center has given courses and lectures there.

The Uilenburgersjoel Foundation was established a few years ago. The foundation commissioned Architectural firm Jaap Dijkman to restore and refurbish the building. The assignment is conceived as an incentive to do as little as possible. The beautiful room of the shul has been restored. The entrance from the late 1980s was demolished and replaced by a structure centered around a monumental staircase to the hall. The new installation has been kept separate from the existing facades on all sides