Museums in Jerusalem

13 museums, from the national collection at the Israel Museum to a single room of Armenian ceramics. Hours and prices are set by each museum and change — where we list them, they carry the date we last checked.

06:29 – From Darkness to Light, at the Museum of Tolerance JerusalemAn interactive exhibition at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem about 7 October 2023, named for the minute that day began. In a darkened hall, life-size LED screens carry the testimonies of 35 women from across Israeli society — touch a screen and the speaker steps forward to meet you — alongside photographs by Ziv Koren, and at the end a lit room: the acts of kindness and mutual responsibility that followed. Created by documentary filmmakers Noam Shalev and Kobi Sitt, curated by Malki Shem Tov. Hebrew, English and Arabic. Entry is by guided tour only: one ticket covers a tour of about 90 minutes through the museum's three current exhibitions. Ages 16 and up. The exhibition deals with sensitive subjects and includes photographs and testimonies that may be hard to watch.35–50 ₪ לסיור המודרך בשלוש התערוכות (אתר הכרטיסים של המוזיאון, 17.9.2026)open ShabbatThe L.A. Mayer Museum of Islamic ArtLocated near the neighborhoods of Talbiya, Kiryat Shmuel, and Old Katamon, this museum houses a remarkable collection of Islamic art spanning from Spain to India, including ceramics, jewelry, textiles, and Muslim artwork across the centuries. It's particularly renowned for its impressive collection of antique clocks, considered one of the three most important collections of its kind in the world, featuring works by the renowned clockmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet. Founded in 1974 by Vera Bryce Solomons in memory of Professor Leon Arie Mayer.מבוגר: 44 ש"ח; אזרח ותיק: 22 ש"ח; ילד: 25 ש"ח; מחזיק כרטיס "ירושלמי" או בעל מוגבלות: 35 ש"ח free3 discountsYad VashemIsrael's national Holocaust memorial authority, featuring a historical museum, memorial monuments (including the Hall of Remembrance and Children's Memorial), the Righteous Among the Nations Garden, and a research and documentation center. Admission is free but advance booking is recommended.חינם (מומלץ תיאום מראש)open Shabbat6 discountsTower of DavidJerusalem's museum housed in the Old City Citadel, telling the city's history through exhibitions and multimedia presentations.מבוגר 55 ₪ · ילד (5-18) 35 ₪ · סטודנט 44 ₪ · אזרח ותיק 28 ₪open Shabbat6 discountsBible Lands MuseumAn archaeological museum showcasing the cultures of the ancient Near East and biblical world — Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, and the Land of Israel — through ancient artifacts. Located at the Museum Quarter.40 ₪ (הנחות לסטודנטים, חיילים, נכים, עולים חדשים ואזרחים ותיקים; ילדים חינם בימי ד׳ אחה״צ ובשבתות)Knesset MuseumThe Knesset Museum occupies Frumin House, home of Israel's parliament from 1950 to 1966 — the chamber where presidents and prime ministers were sworn in and the decisions that shaped the young state were taken. The visit is a sound-and-light journey through the building's own story.0-10 ₪open Shabbat6 discountsBloomfield Science MuseumAn interactive science museum featuring hundreds of hands-on exhibits for all ages, covering physics, light, space, and technology. A popular destination for families with children in Jerusalem.65 ₪ (הנחות לתושבי ירושלים, אזרחים ותיקים, סטודנטים, חיילים ומשפחות; מתחת לגיל 5 חינם)7 discountsThe Friends of Zion MuseumThe Friends of Zion Museum occupies a stone building on Yosef Rivlin Street in Nachalat Shiva, in downtown Jerusalem, and tells the story of non-Jews who acted on behalf of the Jewish people and the founding of the State of Israel. Visits are by guided tour only: about an hour, booked in advance, through multimedia halls — the Hall of Visionaries, the Hall of Dreamers, the Hall of the Brave, the Promise Theater, Lights in the Darkness, the Land of the Promise and the Founders — plus the Prime Ministers' Holograms Exhibit. Most tours run in Hebrew or English, and the museum offers the tour in 16 languages in all. Arrive 15 minutes before your tour. The building also houses the Ambassador Institute, a communication centre and the Neil Folberg photography gallery.45 ₪ · 35 ₪ לסטודנט, ילד (3–18) ותושב ירושלים · 25 ₪ לפנסיונר ולבעל מוגבלות · 10 ₪ לחייל open Shabbat6 discountsIsrael MuseumIsrael's leading museum, featuring comprehensive collections of art, archaeology, and Judaica, including the famous Shrine of the Book.Hebrew Music MuseumAt 10 Yoel Moshe Salomon Street in Nachalat Shiva, a museum of the instruments of Jewish communities around the world, presented through hands-on technology — you can hear and play as well as look. One of the most accessible museums here for a visitor without Hebrew.Museum of Tolerance JerusalemA cultural and educational institution built to advance mutual understanding and respect between people, faiths and cultures. It sits in the centre of town beside the Jerusalem Theatre and combines exhibitions with a programme of performances and public events.open ShabbatMardigian Museum of Armenian Art and CultureA museum on the history, art and culture of Jerusalem's Armenian community, located within the Armenian Patriarchate compound in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City. Reopened in November 2022 after years of closure for renovation, it displays historic manuscripts, jewelry, ceramics and coins.The Herodian Quarter — Wohl Archaeological MuseumAn underground complex where the homes of the wealthy priestly families of the Second Temple period were uncovered — mosaic floors, ritual baths, frescoes and stone vessels, six metres below today's street.כלול בכרטיס המשולב לאתרי המורשת ברובע

Common questions

Which museums in Jerusalem are open on Shabbat?

A minority, and it is worth checking each week. The Tower of David and several privately run museums open on Saturday; most nationally funded ones close from Friday afternoon. Yad Vashem is closed on Shabbat. Each museum below is marked where we hold the information.

How much does the Israel Museum cost?

Adult entry runs to a few tens of shekels, with reductions for students, seniors, children and people with disabilities. Prices change; the museum's own page is the final word and each listing here carries the date it was last checked.

Is Yad Vashem free?

Yes. Entry to Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre, is free. Allow at least three hours, and note that the Holocaust History Museum is not recommended for children under ten.

Which museum is best with children?

The Bloomfield Science Museum is built for them, and the Tower of David's night show and ramparts hold most ages. The Israel Museum has a dedicated youth wing. The Hebrew Music Museum works well for a visitor without Hebrew, because most of it is hands-on.

Discounts you can claim · All attractions · Open on Shabbat