The Museum keeps its doors open with the help of its Guardian friends:
5–11.4 In memory of Frances Seruya
12–18.4 Mandell L. and Madeleine H. Berman Foundation
19–25.4 Dorothea Gould
26.4–2.5 Gordon Rosenblum and Jasmine Cliff

 

The Museum gratefully acknowledges the generosity of those who contribute to its exhibitions:

"I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes" The donors to the 2009 Exhibition Fund*
Many Faces The donors to the 2009 Exhibition Fund*
Second Show The donors to the 2009 Exhibition Fund*
Paperworks The donors to the 2009 Exhibition Fund*
VALIE EXPORT The donors to the 2009 Exhibition Fund* and Ticho House Fund
Bizarre Perfection The Jack N. and Lilyan Mandel Fund; The Joseph C. and Florence Mandel Fund; The Morton L. and Barbara Mandel Fund; The donors to the 2008 Exhibition Fund*

* Donors to the Israel Museum's 2008–2009 Exhibition Fund:
Melva Bucksbaum and Raymond J. Learsy, Aspen, Colorado
Ruth and Leon Davidoff, Paris and Mexico City
Hanno D. Mott, New York
The Nash Family Foundation, New York

www .imj.org.il

Dear Visitors:

These are exciting times at the Museum, as we move ahead with our comprehensive campus renewal program. While work is underway and our permanent collection galleries are closed, we invite you to enjoy a rich program of exhibitions, family activities, and special events in the Ruth Youth Wing, Shrine of the Book, and Model of Second Temple Period Jerusalem, and to experience the beauty of the Billy Rose Art Garden.

We wish you an enjoyable visit and thank you for your continuing participation and support.

James S. Snyder
Anne and Jerome Fisher Director

           Visiting

The Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book are open:

Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs 10 am - 5 pm
Tues - 4pm-9 pm
Fri and holiday eves 10 am - 2 pm
Sat and holidays 10 am - 5 pm

Special Holiday Hours
Passover
Fri 10. 4 10 am – 2 pm Free entrance, in memory of Jack Nash, on what would have been his eightieth birthday
Tues 14.4 10 am – 2 pm Free entrance, courtesy of the Crown family
9–15.4 Free entrance for children (except for workshops and performances),
courtesy of Sandy Batkin, in memory of his wife, Ruth Batkin
Holocaust Memorial Day; Tues 21.4 10 am – 5 pm;
Memorial Day and Independence Day
Tues 28.4 10 am – 5 pm
Wed 29.4 10 am – 5 pm Free entrance; courtesy of Joyce and Edward Strauss

Free entrance
For children aged under 17, Tuesdays and Saturdays, courtesy of the Canadian Friends of the Israel Museum and the David and Inez Myers Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio

For soldiers doing compulsory military service and for those doing National Service courtesy of the Israeli Friends of the Israel Museum (IFIM)

The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
POB 71117, Jerusalem 91710
Tel. (02) 670-8811
Fax (02) 677-1332

Buses: 9, 9a, 17, 24, 24a

Audio guide in selected languages available free of charge in the Entrance Pavilion Audio guide is suitable for the hearing impaired
         

Exhibition
“I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes” Prayer in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

another

Jerusalem Model in the Rain

An enlightening journey through another era awaits you at the renewed Shrine of the Book complex. Explore the Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period; experience the spirit of the time in an original film presentation; and visit the heart of the complex, the Shrine that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls and unique manuscripts of the Bible. In our new Information and Study Center, you can extend your journey by taking a detailed virtual tour of the Model and Shrine or digitally browse the Dead Sea Scrolls. A seminar room situated in the complex may be booked in advance for meetings and other events.

   Virtual Tour of the Shrine of the Book
...........................................................................................................................

Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period
This 50:1 scale model, covering nearly one acre, evokes ancient Jerusalem at its peak, meticulously recreating its topography and architectural character in 66 CE, the year in which the Great Revolt against the Romans broke out, leading to the destruction of the Temple and the city in the year 70. The model, a Jerusalem cultural landmark, was originally built at the initiative of Holyland Hotel owner Hans Kroch in memory of his son Jacob, who fell in Israel's War of Independence, and it opened on the grounds of the hotel in 1966. In 2006 it was transferred to the Israel Museum campus, and here it offers a concrete illustration of the period documented in the Dead Sea Scrolls, when Rabbinic Judaism took shape and Christianity was born, and makes a striking visual connection to the Shrine of the Book and the symbols of modern Israeli statehood that surround it.

   Virtual Tour of the Jerusalem Model

Audio guide in Hebrew, English, Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish Available in the Entrance Pavilion
English guiding Meet in the Entrance Pavilion Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs 11 am

  About the Shrine of the Book

Film: A Human Sanctuary at the Dorot Auditorium
This feature film about the Judean Desert sect is based on information drawn from ancient texts and archaeological finds. A Human Sanctuary tells the story of three young men who lived in the Land of Israel at the end of the Second Temple period - their trials and tribulations, and their hopes and dreams.

Hebrew with English subtitles and German, Spanish, French, and English simultaneous translation (earphones).
Screened on weekdays; No extra charge; for details, call 670-8880

The Shrine of the Book - Upper Level
The Shrine of the Book is home to the Dead Sea Scrolls, archaeological artifacts from Qumran, and rare medieval manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible. This internationally renowned building was designed by Frederick Kiesler and Armand Bartos, who succeeded in integrating its architectural symbolism and the unique objects it houses to create a sense of the sublime. The upper level of the Shrine contains a permanent exhibition about the daily life of the Judean Desert sect and the ideology that led its members to view themselves as a human sanctuary. At the center of this display are the Dead Sea Scrolls: sectarian texts that present this ideology, together with the oldest biblical manuscripts in existence.

   About the Dead Sea Scrolls

English guiding Meet in the Entrance Pavilion:
Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs 1 pm; Tues, 4:30 pm; Fri, Sat 11 am
Audio guide in Hebrew, Audio guide English, Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish
Audio play Available in the Entrance Pavilion

Shrine of the Book - Lower Level
A Wandering Bible: The Aleppo Codex
The amazing story of a codex that was created in Tiberias in the 10th century, traveled to Egypt and then to Syria in the Middle Ages, and returned to Israel in the 1950s. This ancient book, the most authoritative manuscript of the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible, is displayed together with other rare biblical manuscripts and related Jewish and Islamic objest.

   About the Aleppo Codex

Audio guide in Hebrew, English, French, Russian, Arabic, and Spanish

Dorot Foundation Dead Sea Scrolls Information and Study Center, in Memory of Joy Gottesman Ungerleider
Visitors are invited to learn even more about the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Second Temple Period, biblical manuscripts, and the architecture of the Shrine of the Book at our state-of-the-art computer stations. With a click and drag of the mouse, examine the scrolls word by word or take a virtual tour of the entire complex.

Open Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs 11 am - 5 pm, Tues 4-6:30 pm; Purim Tues 10.3 11 am - 6:30 pm; Tel. 677-1388
Audio guide in Hebrew, English, Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish

Fernando Botero, Man on a Horse, 1992

The Billy Rose Art Garden, designed by Isamu Noguchi as a unique blend of Zen principles, Mediterranean setting, and Western art, is considered one of the world's great sculpture gardens and has been a delight to visitors for over forty years. Works by contemporary artists are added on a regular basis, and the garden offers an experience of the major developments in modern sculpture, from the late 19th century to the present, featuring such masterpieces as Henry Moore's Vertebrae, and James Turrell's Space That Sees. Among the other artists represented are Alexander Archipenko, Alexander Calder, Pablo Picasso, David Smith, and Mark Dion.
Catalogue available - link to shop

   About the Art Garden

Audio guide in Hebrew, English, Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish

El Anatsui, Skin of Earth, 2006

Bizarre Perfection
This exhibition celebrates the craftsmanship, skill, and dexterity involved in creating works of art and unique objects through long, labor intensive processes that result in pieces so exquisite as to inspire amazement and even disbelief. Even in our electronic age, with its constant stream of new technologies and innovative materials, the fascination with and appreciation of handmade creativity has endured and increased. Bizarre Perfection presents many such treasures from the Israel Museum's collections, spanning a broad range of cultures and crossing the traditional boundaries between art and craft. Alongside these are key loans of contemporary works by Tara Donovan, Liza Lou, Ron Mueck, and Do-Ho Suh, which exemplify an extraordinary attention to detail and method.

Until 6.6 - Weinstein Gallery, Ruth Youth Wing, Catalogue available

   To the Exhibition Website

English guiding: Mon, Thurs 2:30 pm
Gallery Talks: Tues 7 pm: 17.3 With associate curator Tanya Sirakovich, 31.3 With exhibition curator Suzanne Landau. No extra charge. Meet in the entrance pavilion

Blue and White Pages; Documenting the History of Israel
More than 100 original documents, photographs, films, and recordings on loan from the Israel State Archives, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel. Shown in public for the first time in many years is the Declaration of Independence, along with documents that contain a variety of fateful discussions and decisions. Others are tied to key events of very different kinds - from notes written by Adolf Eichmann while awaiting trial, to the page with lyrics to the "Song for Peace" that was in Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's jacket pocket at the time of his assassination. Among ancient written documents and rare objects from the Museum woven into the exhibition are an original 2nd-century letter from the Bar Kokhba Revolt; the last flag of the British Mandate to be flown in Israel; and pages from the diary of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, which were restored in the Israel Museum's laboratories.

Until 14.3 - Beningson Gallery, Ruth Youth Wing

   To the Exhibition Website

Audio guide in Hebrew and English
Gallery Talks: Tues 7 pm: 10.3 With exhibition curator Ido Bruno; No extra charge, meet in the exhibition

Mask Nuna (Gurunsi) people, Burkina Faso, Late 19th – early 20th century, Wood, pigment

Many Faces: Masks from Many Times and Many Places

Wearing a mask means assuming a different identity, so that masks are an important element in both cultic traditions and the world of the artist. Most of the masks displayed here were used for ceremonial purposes in cultures across the globe and were believed to have magical properties. Some played a key role in coming-of-age rites; others were used in burial rituals. Still others were worn in ceremonies marking the changing of seasons, notably the birth of spring (the festive origins of today's carnival), while the springtime Jewish holiday of Purim is celebrated with masks and disguises. This interdisciplinary exhibition presents exquisite examples from a wide range of Israel Museum collections, from prehistoric archaeology to contemporary art, enriched by pictures and films showing traditional masks in active use.

From 8.4 - Beningson Gallery, Ruth Youth Wing

Toy Story, Ruth Youth Wing

Toy Story: Israel's Children in the Early Years
Statehood, the Israel Defense Forces, aliyah, and the "ingathering of exiles" were widespread themes in toys and games during Israel's first decade, as were educational subjects chosen to enrich children's cultural lives. This exhibition features early Israeli toys from both the Youth Wing and private collections.

Youth Wing Lobby

On the Map
Maps of Israel are a key visual symbol of the nation, whether on the wall of a classroom, in illustrations to children's books, or in board games. This exhibition features maps on just about everything, from a pocket knife and a pencil case to a box of cookies, a New Year's greeting card, and even an eraser. Maps that tell stories, biblical maps, and symbolic maps - all of these enable us to reconsider the iconic and artistic aspects of this familiar Israeli image.

Until 22.3; Youth Wing Library

   To the Exhibition Website

Sun, Wed, Sat 10 am - 2 pm Mon, Thurs 1-5 pm Tues 4-7 pm

Matters of Eternity
An intimate display of highlights from the Museum's Archaeology Wing evokes subjects that lay at the heart of the ancient world. These important objects include: the fragment from a 9th-century BCE Aramean monument that mentions the House of David; a Roman sculpture of the goddess Kore, whose annual return from the underworld heralded the coming of spring; and a 5th-century CE mosaic floor adorned with Jewish symbols of redemption.

Youth Wing Foyer

Audio guide in Hebrew and English

Passover Day Camp - Registration begins!!
A five-day festival of arts and crafts inspired by the exhibition Bizarre Perfection, with painting and sculpture using various techniques and materials

31.3, 1–2.4, 5–6.4 8:30 am – 1:30 pm IS 110 per day; IS 500 for 5-day camp
Details and registration at 670-8960, 677-1302 Registration begins on 1.3

Celebrating Purim -Tuesday March 10 and Wednesday March 11
Free entrance for children (except for workshops and performances)
Courtesy of Malcolm Thomson, New York

Special Purim Museum Hours
Tuesday, March 11, 10 am - 9 pm
Wednesday, March 12, 10 am - 5 pm

Tuesday March 10
Masks workshops, story hour in the library and Recycling Room

10 am - 2 pm
Art Workshops
Mask-making inspired by the museum collection; Eternal Mishloach Manot (Purim gift baskets)
(extra charge)  

11 am, 12:30 pm, 5 pm
The Emperor's New Clothes (in Hebrew)
with Omer, the storyteller; in the youth wing libray; for children aged 4-8; 15 NIS

10 pm - 2 pm
Dressed up dishes; Recycling Room, 10 NIS

Wednesday, March 11 (Shushan Purim)
Jugglers, magicians, music, masks workshops, story hour in the library and Recycling Room

11 am - 2 pm
Team of jugglers from the Falafel Circus and Klezmer troupe outdoor performances in the Youth Wing courtyard
No extra charge

11:30 am
The Aristocrats in the Youth Wing Auditorium
A fun and entertaining comedy performance with audience participation
For ages 6-10; 25 NIS; Adults 45 NIS (including museum entrance)
Advance registration required - call 02-6771302

10 am - 2 pm
Art Workshops (extra charge)
Mask making inspired by the museum collections
Eternal Mishloach Manot (Purim gift baskets)

11 am and 12:30 pm
The Emperor's New Clothes - With Omer, the story teller In the library ; for children aged 4-8; 15 NIS

   To the Purim Program

Purim costumes, Youth Wing

Toy Story: Israel's Children in the Early Years
Statehood, t