The city of Tel Aviv is abound with museums so that every visitor is sure to find something to keep them interested and engaged throughout their visit whether interested in art, architecture, ancient or modern history or something a little more lighthearted and quirky!
Here are the spots that made our list:
Tel Aviv Museum of Art: This museum consists of two parts: one featuring more modern art and the other displaying earlier pieces donated by collectors. If you’re just powering through, it does not take long to go through the whole museum, but if you really savor each piece, you could easily spend anywhere from 2 to 5 hours here. The museum continuously runs different types of exhibitions – temporary or long-term – for you to enjoy.
Address: Sderot Sha’ul HaMelech 27, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 61332012
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* * *Eretz Israel Museum: An ideally-sized museum for its many different exhibitions, Eretz Israel Museum gives visitors the opportunity to learn all about Israel and Jewish history, but the real highlight is the Israeli wildlife photography collections. If you’re looking for a family day out, or a cultural exploration, Eretz Israel Museum a great place to start.
Address: Chaim Levanon St 2, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 69975
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* * *Yitzhak Rabin Center: This museum is dedicated to both Rabin’s biography and the whole history of the Israel state formation. The timeline of Rabin’s life is shown in a unique way, superimposed on a larger history of the state of Israel. All of the displays are very concise and hold a lot of information, but the audio tour also provides an informative narrative.
Address: Chaim Levanon St 8, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 61175
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* * *The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot: As soon as you enter this museum, you will see the famous faces of many different Jews from around the world. Inside, you will be able to explore the standard Zionist narrative from the destruction of the Second Temple to the redemption via the establishment of the State of Israel. The replicas are well-explained, and the video collection of older Jewish cultural music and ethnic Jewish dances from around the world is something to see.
Address: Klausner St 15, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 61392
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* * *Palmach Museum: This museum is dedicated to the Palmach, the strike-force of the pre-state underground Haganah defense organization, which was integrated into the Israel Defense Forces. You’ll witness a representative group of soldiers share their training and mission experiences. There is also a presentation designed to help people connect with the time period. You’ll get a real in-depth look into what the war was like day-to-day.
Address: Chaim Levanon St 10, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 61650
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* * *Ben-Gurion House: The family home of David Ben-Gurion, pre-state Zionist leader and then first Defense and Prime Minister of Israel, has been preserved as a historic house museum. . The tour is quite interesting; you can learn about different periods of Ben-Gurion’s life, his leadership, and his endeavors in establishing the country.
Address: Sderot Ben Gurion 17, Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Israel Defense Forces History Museum: Come here to learn all about the history of Israel’s military ‒ from the underground organizations active during the British Mandate for Palestine, to the modern Israel Defense Forces. Unfortunately, most of the descriptions are in Hebrew, so those who do not know the language won’t be able to read them. However, it’s an interesting enough experience just to be able to see the old equipment and vehicles.
Address: Kaufmann St and HaMered Corner, Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Ilana Goor Museum: Founded by an artist, designer, and sculptor, this museum will have you intrigued from the start. There is a great collection of art and design, pieces of jewelry, sculptures, and plenty of books to buy at the shop! What makes this museum even more unique is that it used to be a Turkish soap factory. Right in the heart of Jaffa Old Town, this funky, artsy, quirky and welcoming museum fits in well.
Address: Mazal Dagim St 4, Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Nahum Gutman Museum of Art: Located in the historical writer’s home in Neve Tzedek (one of the first buildings in the neighborhood), Nahum Gutman Museum is a lovely, small museum with clever pieces of art on display. Allow yourself around 1–2 hours to enjoy the exhibitions. You may also decide to participate in a hands-on creative class and a guided tour.
Address: 21, Shim’on Rokah St, Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Bialik House: The home of the Hebrew national poet Hayyim Nahman Bialik has been turned into a museum. The first floor is decorated in a rich, meticulous manner, which you’ll be able to appreciate thoroughly on the guided tour. You’ll bear witness to Bialik’s life in pictures, paintings, and real documents. Look out for the events that take place here, including haunted houses and theatrical tours! Please note that most of the tours and descriptions are in Hebrew.
Address: Bialik St. 22, Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Jaffa Museum: Within this small museum are exhibitions on Egyptian Kings, Mamluk Rulers, Greek Gods, and a lot of historical heritage right in Old Jaffa. The second floor holds all the archeological findings from the old city. There are also beautiful paper creatures and dragons made from the Japanese technique of paper folding.
Address: Mifrats Shlomo 10, Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Lehi Museum: Another house-turned-museum, Lehi Museum is where the commander Avraham Stem was assassinated. Discover the house’s two floors, each with its own story. It’s a lovely little museum that tells a very patriotic story through a guided tour. There are many stories about the Lehi organisation, each supported by installations and multimedia.
Address: Avraham Stern St 8, Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Rubin Museum: This museum is dedicated to the life and art of Israeli artist Reuven Rubin. The first two floors of the artist’s former home are devoted to his paintings, and the third floor is his artist workspace, where you can see a section of captioned photos from his lifetime. Look out for events the museum holds, like frequent exhibitions and creative activities for children.
Address: Bialik St 14, Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Etzel Museum: First off, you’ll admire the location of this museum: right on the beach, overlooking stunning views of sunset and sunrise, lawns, parks, and gardens. The dramatic setting of this small museum supports its rich telling of a significant part of Israeli history, the liberation of Tel Aviv and Jaffa in 1948.
Address: Tel Aviv-Yafo
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* * *Helena Rubinstein Pavilion: An interesting and informative place, Helena Rubinstein Pavilion houses original documents and papers on the designs of the big buildings in Israel during the 1900s. The main purpose of this pavillion is to hold different exhibitions, which change every few weeks. An added bonus is that entry is always free.
Address: 6 Tarsat st. (1 Dizengoff st.) Tel Aviv
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* * *Independence Hall: This museum honors where Jewish independence was declared in 1948 and exhibits information on this event and the whole city’s history. It is a small, humble building but well worth the visit, especially to listen to the old recordings of what happened during the independence of Israel.
Address: Rothschild Blvd 16, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 6688119
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Author
Tal Gur is a world traveler and personal development enthusiast. An adventurer at heart, after trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, Tal spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey continues as a location-independent blogger, lifestyle entrepreneur, and coach. Tal’s published two books: One Year to Freedom, a 1-Year Roadmap to Living Life on Your Own Terms; and, his most recent book and bestseller, The Art of Fully Living – 1 Man, 10 Years, 100 Life Goals Around the World.
