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Visiting the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum

New Permanent Exhibit, Innovative Galleries, Exciting Archaeological Finds

Welcome to the New Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, located in one of the most important and exciting historical sites in Israel – the Citadel of Jerusalem. On June 1, 2023 we reopened our gates after an extensive renewal and the creation of a new permanent exhibition spanning 10 galleries and combining innovative technology, interactive presentations, archaeological finds and ancient artifacts.

Free Entrance for Jerusalem Children and Teens to the Tower
In 2025, Jerusalem children and teens enjoy free entrance to the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum!
We invite Jerusalem children and teens to a magical visit at the Tower, for Free. For more information, Click Here >>

FREE entrance to the museum for enlisted soldiers and reservists throughout 2025! This applies only to tickets issued at the Museum entrance pavilion with presentation of active reserve/active duty documents. Does not apply to special events and activities.

A ticket to the museum includes:

A visit to the new permanent exhibition of the museum, entrance to the moat, ascent to the observation point on top of Phasael Tower, a 360° view over Jerusalem, and wandering the courtyard of the Citadel. A ticket to the museum includes guided tours in the museum – by advance registration or dependent upon availability on the day of the tour > Register for guided tours here

Note: the new Museum entrance is located to the right of the courtyard at the exit from Mamilla Rd. Look for the 3 red flags with the Museum name.

For Guided Tours, Click Here >>

Renewal at the Museum

In June 2023, we opened our gates as the new Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, following a $50 million comprehensive renovation and renewal project that took a decade in planning and three years of construction.

The renewal and conservation of the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum was led by Dame Vivien Duffield through the Clore Israel Foundation together with the support of the Municipality of Jerusalem, the Ministry of Jerusalem, the Ministry of Heritage, the Ministry of Tourism, the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation, Keren Hayesod, The Jerusalem Foundation, the American Friends of Museums in Israel and the P Austin Family Foundation.

The renovation included the preservation of the ancient citadel, restoration of the minaret, revitalization of the archaeological garden, the establishment of a new sunken multi-level entrance pavilion, a shop, and a café, infrastructure upgrades, the unveiling of additional archaeological excavations, improving accessibility within the citadel, and the introduction of a new permanent exhibition in 10 galleries. These galleries incorporate innovative technology, interactive displays, archaeological findings, and ancient artifacts.

New Entrance Pavilion

The Tower of David stands at a crossroad, where old and new intersect. Visitors and tourists pass through here on their way to the Old City on one side and the nearby shopping center on the other. The audience is broad and diverse, cultures converge, and languages mix. The new entrance to the museum enhances the experience for those arriving from the west. The Tower of David citadel, located between the old and new city, layered with nearly 3,000 years of history, is uniquely placed to tell the story of Jerusalem, a city that has no equal in the world. With its new visitor flow – from the Jaffa Gate entrance pavilion through the galleries, the Phasael Tower observation point and exiting into the Old City – the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum becomes the gateway to the exploration of Jerusalem. Integral to the museum’s new concept, this allows visitors to first better understand Jerusalem’s history through its new exhibition and provides food for thought to contemplate the complex reality of the Old City before entering its streets and alleyways.

The upgraded entrance pavilion includes ticketing offices and a cafe, HaMigdal. It provides provide direct access from Jaffa Gate and Mamilla Avenue, as well as a pleasant, shaded area before entering the Old City for groups, tourists, and travelers.

New permanent exhibit

The new permanent exhibition at the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum offers visitors an opportunity to journey to the center of the world, following the sacred city for the three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The exhibition consists of ten galleries that combine archaeological findings, documents, and artworks with innovative interactive stations, video art, and specially produced films.

In the new permanent exhibition, discover the city that the great empires, both Western and Eastern, sought to dominate for nearly 4,000 years. Expore the real Jerusalem, along with symbolic Jerusalem representing the eternal connection between God and humanity. Jerusalem is celebrated as a meeting point between religions and cultures through the annual holidays of the three religions, presented in a
unique cinematic-animated format created by the illustrator David Polonsky. Catch a glimpse of the city from a bird’s-eye view through a beautiful 19th-century model that sheds light on a unique moment in time, when the city of Jerusalem burst beyond the Old City walls. Uncover the story of the Tower of David Citadel as a symbol and microcosm of the city’s history and peruse the collection of artifacts found within the citadel, along with postcards and posters inspired by it. Finally, ascend to the Phasael
Tower, the most breathtaking viewpoint in the city, offering a 360-degree panoramic view that encompasses the past, present, and future of the city. Two additional galleries for rotating exhibitions on contemporary topics complete the picture, and the story of Jerusalem unfolds before the eyes of visitors as a rich and diverse experience. Notable artists have joined in the collaborative creation, including filmmaker Ari Folman, who designed the entrance installation for the new exhibition.

Accessibility for One and All

We believe that everyone has the right to enjoy a visit to the museum and every effort has been made to make it as accessible as possible. Despite the challenging location of the museum within an ancient citadel with remnants from various archaeological periods, accessibility for both activities and tours are of prime importance.

The renewed museum offers several ways to enjoy the content of the exhibition and site through visual digital description in both Israeli and International sign language, audio description for the visually impaired of both the permanent exhibition and the Night Spectacular show, and audio tours in simple Hebrew language. A sensory map is available.

The museum has also made every effort to make the site physically accessible. Two glass elevators that respect the integrity of the ancient site along with ramps allow visitors with disabilities to access every gallery throughout the large, multi-level citadel. Although the observation deck from the Phasael Tower is not physically accessible due to preservation issues, visitors are invited to view a 360-degree descriptive view of the panorama on their own phones and to scroll through the city of Jerusalem. For complete information, please refer to the accessibility page on the website.

Selected activities (not included in Museum entrance fee):

Marvelous Night Experiences screened on the ancient walls

Sound and light shows revealing the story of Jerusalem through powerful sounds and images screened on the walls of the Citadel. The performances are for speakers of all languages, accessible to people with limited mobility, and are shown in the open air under the stars. The performances are about 40 minutes long. For additional information >>

Combination ticket for Yalla Basta and a visit to the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum

Entrance ticket for the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum combined with a tasting card from Yalla Basta. Receive coupons and a map of the central market, allowing you to independently wander its streets. With the tasting card you can receive tastings from our carefully chosen market vendors and enjoy a culinary experience in one of the most beloved markets in Israel. For additional details >>

*Recommended to purchase tickets online before you arrive at the Museum.

Entrance prices for the new Tower of David Jerusalem Museum starting January 1st, 2025
Adults Senior* Students Child* Jerusalem children* Disabled Soldiers* Active Reservists*
Museum Admission 55₪ 28₪ 44₪ 35₪ 0₪ 28₪ 0₪ 0₪
Night Experiences Night Spectacular / KING DAVID 69₪ 64₪ 64₪ 59₪ 59₪ 43₪ 43₪ 59₪
Combination Ticket 1 * 108₪ 83₪ 95₪ 83₪ 59₪ 63₪ 63₪ 59₪

*Combination Ticket 1 includs: Museum Admission + Night Experiences Night Spectacular/KING DAVID

*Israeli Senior Citizens only | Children from 3-18 must have a ticket for Night Experience performances | Children from 5-18 must have a ticket for Museum entry

*Free entry during the opening hours of the Museum, for children and teens up to age 18, during 2025, for residents of Jerusalem upon presentation of teudat zehut identification | Does not include entrance to tours, events or the night shows at the Citadel | Does not apply to groups or educational activities.

*FREE entrance to the museum for enlisted soldiers and reservists throughout 2025! This applies only to tickets issued at the Museum entrance pavilion with presentation of active reserve/active duty documents. Does not apply to special events and activities.
Collections and Archives – Credits

FAQ

  • The Tower of David Museum is an historic site without parallel in Jerusalem or, indeed, the entire world. The Museum is located within the Tower of David Citadel, the iconic symbol of Jerusalem, and tells Jerusalem’s 3,000 year old story through innovative, exciting technology. The Citadel is located at the meeting point between East and West Jerusalem and expresses the continuing dialog that exists between ancient and modern-day Jerusalem. The Tower of David rises above the walls of the Old City, and can be seen from afar. It welcomes all those who come to the Old City through the main gate, Jaffa Gate.

  • The site is called “Tower of David” because of a mistaken reading of Josephus Flavius during the Byzantine Period. The blunder continued with the Moslem designation of the Citadel as the “Michrab (prayer niche) of the Prophet David”. As years passed, visitors from Western countries transferred the misnomer to the minaret of the Turkish mosque, and the name stuck. Many places in Jerusalem are named after King David; we at the Citadel also pay homage to the city’s legendary monarch.

  • The Tower of David is located on the spot that has guarded Jerusalem for thousands of years; rulers throughout history have left their mark here. King Herod built 3 massive towers here and the largest one, the Phasael Tower, is still standing. During the Early Muslim Period, the Citadel was built, the remains of which can be seen today in the center of the courtyard – a round tower 10 meters/30 feet in diameter. The Crusaders constructed a royal palace here; they added a beautiful entrance and a moat (dry and without alligators!). The Mamelukes strengthened the walls of the Citadel and added sophisticated, advanced architectural elements to make the Citadel a symbol of strength. Among the impressive extensions built by the Mamelukes is the hexagonal tower appended to the Phasael Tower. The Ottomans built a monumental entrance gate at the Museum’s eastern entrance, a beautiful stone bridge, the open mosque, and the cannon yard. Their most striking addition was the minaret, the tower of the mosque, known today as the Tower of David, a prominent symbol of the city of Jerusalem. The British converted the Citadel’s rooms into exhibition spaces; they actually were the first to use the Tower of David not for defense and protection but rather for peace – as an exhibit space for art and cultural events. After the War of Independence in 1948 the Jordanian Legion controlled the citadel and it became a fortress once again. After the 1967 Six Day War, the Citadel came under Israeli sovereignty and in 1989 the Tower of David Museum was opened. From then until now, the archaeological courtyard has hosted visitors from all over the world who come to discover the story of Jerusalem. So actually, everyone contributed to building this place, and all are welcome to enter it! The courtyard of the Citadel is extensive and there are many shady and grassy areas to relax in – come tour the citadel through its exciting history or just to enjoy a picnic in the pleasant hours of the afternoon, all in the shadow of a Second Temple Period tower or a Byzantine water cistern. 

  • Yes! Kids love wandering the walls of the Citadel, peeking out through the arrow slits, and climbing on the towers. The new permanent exhibition also includes exhibits, digital displays and games that kids of all ages love to explore. An audio guide in simple Hebrew language is free with the price of admission. Also, our Night Experiences are recommended for children ages 3 and up. Check our website for special events that we offer kids throughout the year.

  • Paid parking is available in the Karta and Mamilla lots across the street.

  • The new entrance to the Museum is located to the right of the Jaffa Gate courtyard when exiting Mamilla Rd. Look for the 3 red flags with the Museum name.

  • Yes! Even though the citadel is an archaeological site which, for thousands of years, served as a fortress designed to keep people out, the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum is dedicated to making the site accessible. Two new elevators, ramps, lifts and wide passageways allow access to people with limited mobility. The site is also accessible through digital audio description guides for the visually impaired and digital visual guides in International and Israeli sign language. An audio guide in simple language is also available. The Night Spectacular is accessible through audio description and both performances are accessible for those with limited mobility. We recommend contacting the reservation center at *2884 in advance to arrange access.

  • Of course! The Museum cooperates with all the large customer clubs where you can find discounts on tickets for the Museum, the Night Experiences and special events. In addition, those staying in Jerusalem hotels are entitled to a 15% discount on entrance to the Museum / Night Experiences upon presentation of our coupon, found at your hotel.
  • Entrance fee for the Museum: Adult – 55 NIS Child (5-18) – 35 NIS | Israeli Senior Citizen – 28 NIS | Student 44 NIS Ticket to the Night Experiences: Adult – 69 NIS | Child (3-18) – 59 NIS | Israeli Senior Citizen – 64 NIS | Student – 64 NIS Combined ticket to the Museum and the Night Experience: Adult – 108 NIS | Child (5-18) – 83 NIS | Israeli Senior Citizen – 83 NIS | Student – 95 NIS
  • The Night Spectacular presents the story and faces of Jerusalem woven through a powerful, multi-sensory, multi-media presentation. This sound and light show carries the viewer back in time through the history and events that created Jerusalem. KING DAVID tells the life story of the boy, David, who became king and one of the most famous leaders in the history of the world. The sound and life show brings his character to life as it is screened on the ancient walls between the remains of different historical periods. The story of King David is projected on the stones of Jerusalem, the city he founded and which he built thousands of years ago.
  • There is open seating and there are enough seats for all. You can see the presentation in its entirety from every seat in the theater.
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