The Israel Museum is Israel’s largest cultural institution, and is one of the most recognized art and archaeology museums in the world. Founded in 1965, it includes an extensive collection of archaeology, fine arts, Jewish art and artifacts dating from prehistory to the present. They also have the widest range in the world of biblical archaeology and parts of the Holy Land.

In the summer of 2010, the Israel Museum completed the most extensive expansion of the campus with new galleries and public spaces. The 2 year expansion and renovation project was designed to enhance its visitors experience and complement the original design of Alfred Mansfeld and Dora Gad.

Shrine of the Book
Among the highlights of the original campus is the Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, the world’s oldest biblical manuscripts and other rare biblical manuscripts of the early Middle Ages. Next to the Shrine of the Book is the Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period, which reconstructs the topography and architectural features of the city before the Romans destroyed it in 66 CE, and provides historical context to the presentation of the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Shrine of the Book.