MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF JERUSALEM

The Tower of David is arguably one of the most beautiful and original locations for a museum anywhere in the world, and is probably the only structure in the world that has been in continuous use for 2,700 years.

The museum of the history of Jerusalem is situated in the citadel at the gateway to the Old City near the Jaffa Gate. The Tower of David formed part of the defense structures of Jerusalem for 2,700 years without interruption, and the towers of the citadel offer an unparalleled view of old and new Jerusalem.

The Tower of David is quite literally where Jerusalem begins, from the historical, religious and geographical perspectives. It stands between the old and new: to the east are historical sites of 4,000 years of the city's history, to the west lies the new city of Jerusalem; to the east are a number of key religious sites, central to Judaism, Christianity and Islam; the citadel stands at the geographical crossroads of Jerusalem, on the border of the city between 1948 and 1967.

The museum presents the history of Jerusalem from its early Canaanite days through its periods of glory under Jewish, Christian and Moslem rule and the wars waged over it. The museum brings these 4,000 years of Jerusalem's history to life, for the museum not only presents history, the museum is history.

The museum has a unique approach to its subject matter. It is an illustrative museum rather than a historical testimony. It does not display authentic objects, but rather uses the exhibits to recount the history of Jerusalem. Thus while most historical museums present a collection of historical artefacts in a modern building, the guardhouses of the Tower of David present the history of Jerusalem through an array of models, reconstructions and state-of-the-art electronic visual aids, including a 14-minute animated film on the history of the city.

The history related is not only of a city; it reflects and parallels the history of the entire western world, from the earliest days of the development of western civilization in the Fertile Crescent, through Alexander the Great's conquest of the ancient world and the Roman Empire, through the birth of Christianity and the growth of Islam, to the Industrial Revolution and the history of the twentieth century.

Artifacts displayed in the museum range from a copy of a clay figurine from Egypt dating from the nineteenth century B.C.E., which contains the first known mention of Jerusalem, to a silent film from 1896 about the arrival of the first train in Jerusalem.

The museum is living history: for over 2,200 years, the site of the Citadel served as part of the city's defense structures, and the Citadel courtyard contains archaeological remains which span the gamut of time from 2,200 years ago to the periods of the Crusaders, the Mamlukes and the Ottomans. There is no other place in Jerusalem where archaeological remains from every period of history lie side by side.

Where else can you learn about the history of a city in a building which was a part of that history?

The archaeological remains in the park in the center of the citadel and the walls that house the exhibits are an inextricable element of the history presented in the museum. Finds unearthed on the site include the remnants of towers and a wall built by the Hasmonean kings in the second century B.C.E., and the base of an enormous 40-meter tower that was built by King Herod. The southern edge of the citadel is built upon the ruins of Herod's palace, which was probably the real site of Jesus' trial; the section of the museum that traces the history of Jerusalem under Islamic rule is situated in the mosque for the Muslim soldiers of the citadel.

The history is presented in an ethnically and culturally sensitive manner, and focuses in a balanced way on periods of the city's history which have special significance for different religions. All the exhibits in the museum are labeled in Hebrew, Arabic and English, and educational activities organized by the museum cater to all of Israel's citizens, as well as to visitors from throughout the world.

The museum, the idea for which came from Mayor Teddy Kollek shortly after the reunification of the city in 1967, was made possible through generous donations from the Vivien Clore-Duffield Fund and the Clore Fund through the Jerusalem Foundation. The first stage of the museum was opened in 1983, and the completed exhibition halls were opened six years later. The museum was designed by James Gardner Studio of London.

The museum offers three tours:

Exhibit Tour Illustrates Jerusalem's past and the major events that marked its history and the city's centrality for Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Observation Route Invites the visitor to walk along the ramparts of the citadel, passing through each of the citadel's towers, and enjoy the panorama of old and new Jerusalem which they afford.

Excavation Tour Centers on the archaeological finds of the site, including remnants from the Hasmonean to the Ottoman periods.

ILLES MODEL OF JERUSALEM A unique scale model of Jerusalem as it was at the time of the model's construction in 1873 is housed in the museum. The zinc model, made by the Hungarian bookbinder Stefan Illes, records a key moment in the development of Jerusalem in exquisite detail, that includes the first settlements outside the old city wall and the first telegraph, installed in 1865. The model, built on a scale of 1:500, is like a photograph in relief. It measures over 18 square meters and weighs more than one ton.

The model was first displayed in the Ottoman Pavilion of the Vienna Universal Exhibition of 1873, and over the next five years, was shown throughout Europe. From 1878 to 1920, it was housed in Switzerland, in Geneva's Salle de la Reformation, before lying forgotten in storage for over 60 years.

Rediscovered in 1984, the model was brought to Jerusalem and restored by the Israel Museum, before, suitably, being put on display at the Tower of David Museum.

ARCHIVES The museum boasts a rich collection of archival material, which includes rare historical and contemporary photographs which capture aspects of the city of Jerusalem and the Tower of David, as well as events from the time of the British Mandate.

The archives also contain pictures, slides and videos of the museum's permanent exhibits available for publicity and press purposes.

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT The Tower of David Museum offers a wide range of educational programs in several languages, which were specially developed for different age groups, from kindergarten age children through adults, and for different educational and cultural backgrounds.

The programs combine a guided tour, the animated film of the history of Jerusalem, a panoramic view of the old and new cities and an activity. The activities enable the participants to relate to different aspects of the history of Jerusalem, viewing them within their historical context and comparing them to modern day issues.

The programs offer a unique opportunity to "travel through time" and visit historical Jerusalem of various periods, where questions, dilemmas and observations of lifestyle and culture are presented. The participants deal with these issues through role playing, puzzles, letter writing, discussion and other creative techniques.

Activities are available in Hebrew and Arabic, as well as English, French, Spanish and Russian, and can be adapted to the special requirements of the group. The department offers guided tours in all of these languages as well as in German.

TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS The museum's Crusader Hall houses temporary exhibitions which approach Jerusalem's history and culture in original and innovative ways.

EVENTS Sound and Light The citadel's courtyard hosts an evening Sound and Light show, which recounts the history of Jerusalem through the ages, in a number of languages.

Murder Mystery Based on the historical murder of the high priest, Aristobulus III during the time of King Herod, a murder mystery tour is regularly performed in English. It is also available for groups in Hebrew and Spanish. Four suspects roam the citadel, pleading their innocence to the spectators-judges, who must then together solve the 2,000 year-old mystery.

Facilities are available for private parties, conferences and shows to be held in the amphitheater and archaeological gardens.