Jerusalem

Yad Vashem
The Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority
P.O.B. 3477
Jerusalem 91034 Israel
Tel.: 02 6443400
Tel.: 1 800 25777

Since 1953, the State of Israel has attempted at the Yad Vashem Museum to at least give visitors an appreciation of the scope of the tragedy of the Holocaust. Every available artifact, document, story and picture that would give the visitor a sense of the reality of the tragedy has been presented. With more than 2,500 items on exhibit the Yad Vashem Museum has tried to include both the unique and representative. However as time went up, the directors and staff of the museum began to be concerned that the Museum would not be able to meet the challenges of contemporary events. With this in mind and at a cost of $40 million, Yad Vashem began a massive construction program in year 2000. On March 15, 2005, a new Holocaust History Museum, on 4,200 square meters was dedicated. The new Museum is even richer in authentic artifacts and documents, and the Art Museum displays the world's most extensive collection of Holocaust Art.

The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Ruppin Blvd., near the Knesset (Israeli Parliament).
POB 71117
Jerusalem 91710
Tel.: 02-6708811; Fax: 972-2-5631833

Since it first opened its doors to the public in 1965, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem has become one of the foremost museums for the scope and quality of its art and archaeology exhibitions: Archaeology of the Holy Land, Judaica, Jewish Ethnography, Old Masters through Contemporary Art and separate departments for Asian Art; the Arts of Africa; Oceania and Americas; Prints and Drawings.

Tower of David -The Citadel
Jaffa Gate, Old City
Jerusalem
Tel.: 02-6265333

The Citadel of Jerusalem as it appears today is a wall that has had a long history, certainly dating back to King Herod, and earlier. Now there is a museum that teaches about the history of the Citadel and Jerusalem by means of films, maps, and reconstruction models. There are excavations of the original palace and a nice courtyard with displays. The 1:599 scale model of Jerusalem is especially interesting. Its towers and ramparts afford a splendid panoramic view of Jerusalem and all the surrounding area. In the summer you can enjoy dazzling sound and light shows.

L.S. Mayer Museum of Islamic Art
2- Ha Palmach Street
Jerusalem
Tel.: 02-5661291

The L.S. Mayer Museum of Islamic Art is well worth visiting. The permanent collection of Islamic art encompasses all the major periods of Islamic art; the visiting exhibitions are excellent. There is an outstanding display of folk craft of the region, including a wonderful collection of Palestinian costumes and embroidery, and the Islamic jewelry gallery is a pleasure for the eyes. The museum also houses a large and fascinating international collection of clocks, and famous watches. In 1999, an enchanting collection of Islamic carpets became part of the permanent exhibit.
This museum would not be the first on my schedule but for people with a special interest in its subject matter, a visit is worthwhile.

The Rockefeller Museum
Opening Hours
The Rockefeller Museum
Sultan Suleman Street
East Jerusalem (Near the Flower Gate)
Tel.: 02-628-2251 Fax: 02-627-1926

The first building constructed expressly as a national museum, the Rockefeller Museum, was funded by millionaire John D. Rockefeller Jr. and was built over a 15-year period, finally being completed in the late 1930’s. Located in Eastern Jerusalem, the fascinating museum was originally known as the Palestine Archaeological Museum. The museum’s collection includes significant finds from major excavations in Israel conducted in the early twentieth century. In addition to the main collection there are several smaller exhibition rooms, each addressing a special topic, including: stucco elements and statuary from Hisham’s Palace near Jericho; carved wood doors and panels from the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount; lintels from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; and smaller rooms with collections of coins and gold jewelry. The museum stands out for its unique architecture, its history, and of course the rare artifacts that it houses.

The Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation
The Museum is open Sunday through Thursday,
First tour 9 AM – last tour 4:30 PM
Friday & Holiday Eve, first tour 9 AM last tour 12 PM
Tuesday, extended hours, last tour 7 PM
Telephone reservations: 02-5652020
Address: 6 S.A. Nahon St., Jerusalem, 94110

The Begin center was established to commemorate one of Israel’s outstanding leaders, Menachem Begin, the sixth Prime Minister of Israel and Nobel Peace Prize recipient. The center offers a multi-media museum tour about his life, and it houses an archive with materials relating to Begin (for a review of his life see the articles section of this website).
Reservations are necessary for visiting the museum and archives.