The renewed Tower of David Museum Jerusalem (Photo: Tower of David Museum Jerusalem)
After more than a decade and three years of planning by a multidisciplinary team that included archaeologists, architects, curators, researchers, designers and creators, the new Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem opened today (Monday) to the general public.
The museum's renovation and preservation project, whose investment is estimated at over $50 million, was led by Dame Vivienne Duffield through the Clore Israel Foundation and with the support of the Jerusalem Municipality, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition, the Ministry of Heritage, the Ministry of Tourism, the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation, Keren Hayesod, the Jerusalem Foundation, Friends of American Museums in Israel and the Fay Austin Foundation.
The Tower of David Citadel, located between the Old City and the New City, is layered with almost 3,000 years of history, in a unique location that tells the story of Jerusalem.
The investment is over $50 million. The renewed Tower of David Museum Jerusalem (Photo: Naftali Hilger)
A journey to the navel of the world following the holy city of the three religions (Photo: Riki Rechman)
The Story of the Tower of David Fortress as a Microcosm of the History of the City
The new visitor flow route that begins at the entrance pavilion at Jaffa Gate, passes through the galleries and observation point at the Phasael Tower and ends at the exit to the Old City, turning the Tower of David into a gateway to exploring Jerusalem. The route was planned as an inseparable part of the museum's new concept, and its purpose is to enable visitors to better understand the history of Jerusalem, while at the same time providing them with food for thought and re-examination of the complex reality of the city.
The museum's new permanent exhibition offers visitors a journey together to the navel of the world, following the city sacred to the three religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The exhibition includes ten galleries in which archaeological finds, certificates and art objects were combined with innovative interactive stations, video art works and films produced especially for the exhibition. In the new permanent exhibition, we can get to know the actual Jerusalem alongside the one that symbolizes the eternal connection between God and man; Jerusalem as a place of interfaith and intercultural encounter through the holidays of the year cycle in all three religions, in an exceptional cinematic-animated installation created by illustrator David Polonsky.
In addition, the restored Eyles model of Jerusalem, designed for the Vienna World Exhibition in 1873, of the city from a 19th-century bird's eye view, sheds light on a moment in time to which Jerusalem will never return, when the city broke through the walls. Also in the galleries - the story of the Tower of David Citadel as a symbol and microcosm of the history of the city and a display of the collection of objects found in the citadel, and posters and postcards inspired by it. A climb to the Phasael Tower, the most beautiful observation point in the city, will present a 360° panoramic view that encapsulates the past, present and future of the city.
The exhibition includes innovative interactive stations and video art (Photo: Oded Antman)
The minaret, the symbol of the Tower of David, was also renovated (Photo: Riki Rechman)
The various levels of the fortress were made accessible by two elevators (Photo: Ricky Rechman)
Explore Second Temple Period Tools Against the Background of the Mishkenot Sha'ananim Landscape
Two temporary exhibition galleries on contemporary subjects will complete the story of Jerusalem and will present the visitor with a rich and varied experience. A number of leading artists joined the joint work, including filmmaker Ari Folman, who created the entrance installation for the new exhibition.
The renewal project, which ensured the integrity of the ancient spaces and stones, was carried out in cooperation with the Israel Antiquities Authority and under the guidance of Kimmel Eshkolot Architects. The various levels of the fortress have been made accessible by two elevators - one near the west entrance, which brings visitors to the museum's main exhibition level; and the other on the east side which allows access to the galleries on the top floor of the citadel.
The interior architecture of the new museum, led by Studio de Lange, emphasizes the ongoing dialogue between Jerusalem's age-old history and the contemporary city. The spaces include large openings and showcases in the arched windows of the fortress, through which the connection between a visit inside the museum and the city outside is maintained. For example, visitors can explore vessels from the Second Temple period against the backdrop of the Mishkenot Sha'ananim landscape. The design line is minimalist and clean, balancing the powerful fortress structure and the complexity of its content and scope, while the open spaces bathed in sunlight give the place an additional layer of drama.
The content is presented, inter alia, through creative digital media installations, directed by Yoav Cohen. The exhibits are based on interactive technologies that enable the engagement and connection of visitors with the content in all the galleries in the museum. The large interactive wall, which extends the entire length of the Introductory Gallery, allows visitors to discover for themselves the history of Jerusalem with a quick touch.
Behind the development of the concept of the wall are the esteemed Jake Burton (Local Projects), who are responsible, among other things, for the design of the September 11 Museum in the United States. The design and programming were conducted by Shortcut Playground, Israel.
The exhibition includes ten galleries incorporating archaeological finds (Photo: Ricky Rechman)
Virtual visit to the holy sites. Dome of the Rock (Photo: Riki Rechman)
The content is presented, among other things, through creative digital media installations (Photo: Oded Antman)
360-degree photography inside Dome of the Rock
Other notable elements include an animation of a map from 1584 depicting Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, a three-dimensional scan of a 19th-century model of Jerusalem from an overview and interactive projection on a copy of a mosaic map of Madaba from the 6th century, and more.
The range of films produced for the museum includes videos that recount the 4,000 years of Jerusalem's history in three minutes, led by Oscar-nominated artist Ari Folman; animated short films, based on archaeological and historical evidence and relating to different periods in the city's past; simulation of the Arch of Titus created with the help of research and reconstruction carried out by Yeshiva University NY; 360-degree photography inside the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, enabling virtual visits to the holy sites; an original 1896 film of Jerusalem, featuring footage by the Lumière brothers, edited to revive Jerusalem at the beginning of the 20th century; A montage of pictures from various religious festivals projected on one of the vaulted ceilings in a guard room. A seven-minute experience, created by David Polonsky, in which the calendars of the three religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – come together in a way unique to Jerusalem alone.
The museum will open on June 1 with a special opening event, followed by special events open to the public in June and July. For example, the "Secrets from the Editing Room" event will take place on June 8, in which a team of museum curators and creators will spread out over the fortress and share with the audience stories and explanations about behind the scenes, from architecture and design to treasure and history.
Director General of the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum and Chief Curator, Ayelet Lieber: "There is no other museum that can tell the story of Jerusalem in such a unique environment, as inside this fortress, which witnessed countless periods and events in the city's past. The iconic architecture, the massive Jerusalem stone walls and the arched guard rooms create an extraordinary setting in a museum that is now becoming a gateway to this one and only city."
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