Best Museums in Tel Aviv

ANU - Museum of the Jewish People, is a museum like no other. The place is dedicated to the history of the Jewish people around the globe and is aiming to deepen the affinity of Jews with their roots and identity. Situated in Tel Aviv University, the museum's former name was Beit Hatfutsot (The Diaspora House), and today is called ANU, which means "we". The museum captures the Jewish heritage in a touching and moving way. It tells the turbulent history of the Jewish people but provided you with hope. Their mission is educational, yet they keep you entertained. They exhibit an ancient story but do it in a gripping modern way. To fulfill its mission, ANU hosts several enthralling permanent exhibitions, a few more temporary exhibitions, and also unique and large databases of Jewish history and genealogy. All are captivating and will make you re-think the Jewish history in the diaspora, the return to Zion, and the great contributions of the Jews to the world.

Founded in 1941, the Palmach was the military wing of the Haganah, the main Jewish resistance movement during the British Mandate. The impressive Palmach Museum will take you back to the turbulent 1940s and tell you the story of those who were ready to risk all, including their own lives, to generate the State of Israel. It is impossible to separate the Palmach, which later was the basis for the Israel Defense Forces, from the creation of Israel. In a remarkable touching way, the Palmach Museum tells the story of this organization. Located in Ramat Aviv, the museum insists on reservations since it operates in a form of guided tours. Bringing an identification card (e.g passport) is also recommended.

Yitzhak Rabin Center is a research center aiming to perpetuate Yitzhak Rabin. Honor his life and ensure the Israeli society will remember his legacy and never forget the lesson of his tragic death that shocked an entire country. The center includes "The Israeli Museum", which exhibits and brings together two themes, Israel history, and Rabin's life. It does so with a display of the square the assassination occurred, prominent events in Rabin's life, Israel chronicles, and international history. With almost 200 documentary films and over 1500 pictures the museum presents to its visitors the outstanding life of Rabin and the impressive history of the country, he helped to build.

Blend the ancient with the modern, Eretz Israel Museum aims to present the changes that the land of Israel has passed through the eras. It does so by hosting several permeants and temporary exhibitions spreading over 15 pavilions and planetariums. Also, the museum includes under the sky sites and facilities, lovely gardens, and Tell Qasile, a 12th century BC archeological site. The 20 acres museum is among the three largest in Israel. Its exhibitions cover a wide range of subjects, among them archeology, anthropology, Judaica, folklore, philately, popular culture and so much more.

David Ben-Gurion is marked in history as Israel's first Prime Minister and Defense Minister. An outstanding man who helped to change a course of a nation and shape its future. Ben-Gurion house provides a glimpse of the state of Israel founder personality, private life, and work. The modest two floors house which was built from 1930-to 1931 serves as David Ben-Gurion and his wife Paula for most of their lives. This is the place where many crucial decisions were made and changed the history of Israel forever. The house contains the couple's original furniture and personal property, letters, presents Ben-Gurion received, and more than 20,000 titles in Ben-Gurion's impressive library. Since 1981 the next-door house (Hillel Cohen’s House) becomes part of the Ben-Gurion house. Cohen's House host an enthralling exhibition on Israel's senior state man life and work, clips, a short movie, and varied activities to research his legacy. Loyal to Ben-Gurion's modest vision, the entrance is absolutely free.

Tel Aviv Museum of Art is a significant and vital force in Israel's art and Tel Aviv cultural life. It has stately and reputable artworks and specialized in modern and contemporary Israeli art, mainly from the beginning of the 20th century and afterward. It also has impressive modern and contemporary works of international artists, mostly from the 19th century and on. The museum also upholds concerts, educational lectures, and workshops. Cinema which presents carefully selected movies from around the world is also available to the public.

The Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art displays alternate contemporary art exhibitions by Israeli and international artists. Although not residing next to it, The Helena Rubinstein Pavilion plays an active role at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art's artistic vision and consider inseparable from the museum and its history. Resides next to HaBima Theater and Heichal HaTarbut and together they create one of the most powerful art and culture compounds in Israel.

A museum dedicated to the liberation activities of the Etzel, one of the Jewish resistance movements during the British mandate at the land of Israel. Known in English as Irgun (organization), the museum highlights its major operations, leadership, ideology, and history since its establishment in 1931 until it was merged into the IDF in 1948. It does so by an exhibition of original documents, movies, pictures, newspapers articles, weapons, a memorial hall for the falling soldiers, and more.

A beautiful house with a marvelous façade that served as Tel Aviv City Hall from 1925 until 1965. Originally built in 1924 as a hotel, the place has a much less active role in Tel Aviv residence life when the City Hall finds a new home at Ibn Gabirol Street. However today, the renovated Beit Ha'ir is a vibrant cultural center that tells the story of Tel Aviv since its establishment. The place contains preserve elements from the original house as the first mayor's office, comprehensive information about the city history, a reading room, a database, and a gallery with temporary exhibitions. Lighted, inviting, and with a magnificent view from the open roof terrace, Beit Ha'ir provides a unique opportunity to discover Tel Aviv city like no other museum does.

Former home to Israel national poet and one of the greatest Hebrew writers, Hayyim Nahman Bialik, and his wife Mania. The magnificent house which was complete by 1925 was built under the guidance of Bialik himself and was entered by the couple in 1926. Immediately the Bialiks become the power couple of the nascent city. Right from the start, their elegant home becomes a cultural center and a magnet to artists, intellectuals, and politicians of the state to be. The house, which now is a museum, is dedicated to exhibiting and researching Bialik's life and work. The museum is fully renovated and keeps the winsome aesthetics of its original owners. The house has a comprehensive collection of Bialik's work and eclectic design with European and oriental elements, bold colors, and enchanting 1920's decoration. All of, indicate that Bialk House is a true milestone in Tel Aviv history.

Beit Reuven (Reuven's House) is an enticing museum and the former home of Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), one of Israel's finest painters. He was a prominent painter in the formative years before and after the state of Israel was born. Therefore, Rubin's works are not only beautiful but provide a nostalgic glimpse of the people and the landscape of Israel's first years. The 4 floors house presents the life and work of Rubin with a collection of his own works, original possessions, preserved studio, a library, documentary movie, pictures, and more. The place also hosts alternate exhibitions, usually from the same period of time Rubin was working.

The Museum dedicated the Hagana and the history of securing the safety of Jews at the land of Israel during the turbulent Yishuv time. The Yishuv is the term been used to describe the Jewish community at the Land of Israel from the end of the 19 century until the Israel Declaration of Independence in 1948. Hagana (The Defense) was the main military force of the Jews during the Yishuv days and the base to the creation of what it will later integrate into, the Israel Defense Force. It is a must museum to all who are interested in Israel's history and the gripping process that brought to the birth of the State of Israel.

A splendid museum in Neve Tzedek, dedicated to the life and works of Nahum Gutman (1898 – 1980). Gutman was a famous and award-winning Israeli painter, illustrator, children writer, and sculptor. A versatile artist with a special bond to the city of Tel Aviv where he used to live. Favorites on children and adults equally, the Museum has a wide selection of Gutman's works and it also presents his restored studio, pictures, and biographical information in Hebrew and English. Donated by his family, Gutman's works are excellent in their colorfulness and provide a unique look on the landscape and the people of the land of Israel and Tel Aviv-Yafo at the beginning of the 20th century. The museum also has a shop and hosts other wonderful temporary exhibitions which add another layer of charm to this museum.

A lovely preserved house in Neve Tzedek, one of the most splendid neighborhoods in Tel Aviv. It tells the tale of Neve Tzedek's establishment inside the house and garden of the neighborhood founder, Shimon Rokach. The house was built in 1887 and even back then, the place was considered extraordinary due to its beautiful design and dome. Inside the house, you may learn about Neve Tzedek's history and find an exhibition of pictures, furniture, clothes a short movie, and more. Now belongs to Shimon Rokach's granddaughter the sculpture Lea Majaro Mintz, her art also decorates the house and adds to its uniqueness.

Jaffa is full of ancient treasures and Jaffa Museum is a good starting point on the journey to discover them. Residing on the ruins of a crusader fortress dated to the 11th century, the museum structure is a fantastic example of old and new integration in Jaffa. Even though it was damaged during the centuries, the structure survived with the help of the Ottomans. The Ottomans recast the place in the 17th century and later turned it into a governmental center. Now known as "Old Saraya House", the beautiful structure with the arched ceiling and Ottomans building motifs still preserves much of its old charm. Today, the place is a living museum that hosts an archaeology wing that includes extraordinary findings from the area since the Canaanites era. Also, the place hosts lovely temporary exhibitions which are very loved by adults and children equally.

Jaffa Tales, Old Jaffa Visitor's Center, take its visitors on a journey through the paths and alleyways of Jaffa history. A floating bridge will take you into time travel, an exhibition of thousands of years old archeological findings that will show you the ebullient life of Jaffa residents throughout the generations. A beautiful animation movie will tell you the story of Andromeda Rock and another film on a very wide screen will present you the key figures in Jaffa history.

The underground Visitor's Center is located in an ancient house right under Kdumim Square, the main square in Jaffa. The Visitor's Center is also very much tourists attentive to exhibitions in English, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Arabic, and Hebrew. It is very much recommended to make a reservation before arrival, especially if you want a guide.

A very special and unusual private museum of the famous Israeli artist, Ilana Goor. Includes over 600 works of fine Israeli art side by side with a collection of artworks from around the world, the Ilana Goor Museum offers its guests a different kind of museum to visit. The Museum exhibit Ilana Goor works as well and spread over a variety of art fields as video art, sculptures, paintings, and more. Additionally, the museum is abundant with antiques and ethnic crafts and is located in a lovely preserved building from 1742 which made history as the first house of Jews outside Jaffa walls.