Israel Museum
מוזיאון ישראל
One of the largest comprehensive museums in the Middle East. The Shrine of the Book displays the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the outdoor area has a 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period.
The Israel Museum was founded in 1965 and is located in the Givat Ram district in western Jerusalem. Its collection of about 500,000 objects covers three main areas: archaeology, Jewish art and life, and fine arts. The most famous feature is the Shrine of the Book. Its white dome, shaped like the lid of the clay jars that once held the ancient scrolls, contrasts with the black basalt wall beside it, symbolising the 'Children of Light and the Children of Darkness'. Inside, the shrine displays facsimiles and some original scrolls from the Dead Sea Scrolls, found from 1947 onward in caves near Qumran on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. The originals are rotated for conservation. It also displays the 10th-century Aleppo Codex. In the outdoor area next to it is a 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period (around AD 66). It helps visitors understand Herod's Temple and the layout of the city. The Archaeology Wing presents artefacts from prehistoric times through the Ottoman period. The Art Museum has Impressionist and modern works, along with fully reconstructed synagogue interiors from various communities. The outdoor sculpture garden is also worth a visit. Admission prices are listed on the official website. Plan at least three hours for your visit. It can be reached by bus or taxi, and the Bible Lands Museum is nearby.
Opening hours
Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu approx. 10:00 am–5:00 pm; extended Tue; shorter Fri and Sat (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Bible Lands Museum
- Monastery of the Holy Cross
- Knesset
- L. A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art
- Mahane Yehuda Market
- Ben Yehuda Street
- Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- Yemin Moshe & Montefiore Windmill