Israel Museum

The Israel Museum, at 11 Ruppin Boulevard on a hilltop in the Givat Ram district of West Jerusalem, is the national museum of Israel and one of the largest cultural institutions in the Middle East. The campus opened in 1965 and was extensively renovated in 2010. It spreads across several wings connected by walkways and terraces with views over the city. The most visited section is the Shrine of the Book, a white domed building shaped like the lid of a jar that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the Great Isaiah Scroll facsimile and fragments of the Aleppo Codex. Outside, the Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period, built at a scale of 1:50, shows the city as it stood around 66 CE and helps visitors picture the Old City before the Roman destruction. Inside the main building, the archaeology wing traces the region from prehistory through the Ottoman period, with Canaanite figurines, Roman statues and the rebuilt Beth Alpha-era mosaics. The Judaica and Jewish Life wings display reconstructed synagogue interiors from Italy, Germany and India. The art wings cover European masters, Impressionists, modern and contemporary work, and there is a design and photography collection as well. The Billy Rose Art Garden, designed by Isamu Noguchi, spreads over terraces with sculptures by Rodin, Moore and Serra and offers some of the best photo angles on the campus. A thorough visit takes three to four hours, and families with children can use the Ruth Youth Wing, which runs workshops. Most visitors begin with the Shrine of the Book and the archaeology wing, which together take about 90 minutes. Weekday mornings are the quietest, and Tuesday evening hours are another way to avoid crowds, while Saturday and school holidays are busiest. Timed tickets can be reserved on the museum website, and a cafe and restaurant operate on site. Photography is generally permitted without flash in permanent galleries, but some temporary exhibitions restrict it.