{"id":2332,"date":"2024-08-11T19:58:29","date_gmt":"2024-08-11T19:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/66b90e581f92b3ce8952127e"},"modified":"2026-05-28T01:11:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T22:11:47","slug":"what-to-do-for-tisha-bav-in-the-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themuseumguy.co.il\/he\/post\/what-to-do-for-tisha-bav-in-the-museum\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do for Tisha b\u2019Av in the Museum (Summer 2024)"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post lists detailed suggestions and information about Tisha b\u2019Av related artifacts and exhibitions in the Israel Museum and the Bible Lands Museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Nachliel Selavan \u201cThe Museum Guy\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you want to prepare for Tisha b\u2019Av, visit the museum during Tisha b\u2019Av, or go after, this guide will give you a comprehensive list of things to see. I will also spell out if this is relevant to the First Temple Destruction, Second Temple Destruction, Bar Kokhva Revolt, or anything supplementary. I will also include some videos that can be used to enhance your experience. Some videos can be watched in the museum (be mindful of other visitors, bring headphones), or as preparation or summary. Others are options of connecting through some virtual tours I\u2019ve done of museums worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caution<\/strong>: The Megalim Institute videos are excellent, well-animated, with options in English and Hebrew. In some of their videos they are very descriptive of the horrors that took place (e.g. selling into slavery as gladiators, or prostitution, bloody scenes, etc). It may be inappropriate for younger kids. While this is just a few of them, I urge parents to screen the videos first and see if they are appropriate for their kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you go\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recommend reading this at leisure, at home, before<\/em> you get to the museum, so you can plan your visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a professional museum guide and specialist in museum education, especially with kids, I recommend planning your trip and not just wandering in the museum. When you come to the museum, grab a map, and plan your trip. A museum can be an exciting place, if well prepared, and can also be deterring or boring for kids, and this can make your trip less than enjoyable. If you have any specific questions, please reach out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready? Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Israel Museum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Israel Museum has three departments that are most relevant to the topic of Tisha b\u2019Av, as well as a few gems scattered throughout the museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. The Archaeology Wing MAP<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Jewish Art and Life MAP<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Second Temple Model + The Shrine of the Book MAP<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Glass, painting, sculptures, special exhibitions and more.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The museum is open on Tisha b\u2019Av.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Model and Shrine of the Book<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    These are self-explanatory. Grab a map when you enter the museum. Go first to the model. Outside the large white dome, there is a plaque with a cross-section of the entire complex. Notice the contrast between the black wall and the white shrine. Did you know that the black wall used to have fire on top? That was to contrast the water on the dome. But it was discontinued for safety reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can look at the model from the balcony, and then take the stairs behind the black wall down to the Shrine, or you can take the stairs near the model. There is another path from there to the Shrine, through the auditorium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Archaeology Wing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Archaeology Wing is in the main gallery entrance, on the second floor. The main structure of the department is a chronological journey, starting from pre-history all the way through the late Muslim period. Most of the artifacts on this trail are from Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There is also a central hallway called Neighboring Cultures. This includes artifacts from Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome. There are entry points connecting it to the main trail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There is also a room for temporary exhibitions, currently exhibiting Lighting the Way.<\/a> There is a permanent exhibition about glass, on the left of the trail. There is one artifact we will highlight there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    First Temple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The museum map lists two areas relevant to First Temple, and that\u2019s where you\u2019ll find the items I will advise. Israel and the Bible, and Early Hebrew Writing (small round room).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Neighboring Cultures<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Before you take that right turn into Israel and the Bible<\/em>, notice the stela of King Tiglath Pileser III<\/a>, the one responsible for reporting the 10th<\/sup> tribes. The story this stela tells is parallel to the one about King Nahum ben Gadi, third to last king of Israel, who paid tribute to Assyria. Read it here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Israel and the Bible<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    You can get here by taking the second right turn in Neighboring Cultures<\/em>, near the statue of the Assyrian king, or follow the chronological route. Focus will be The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and their respective destruction by Assyria and Babylon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Look out for the following two thing in the niche, that focuses on royal administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n