The New Tower of David Jerusalem 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.

The New Permanent Exhibition

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.

Accessible for 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.

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