Museums

The roots of the modern museum lie in ancient Greece, as the word ‘museum’ is derived from the ancient Greek word ‘Mouseion’, meaning a place or temple dedicated to the Muses - the patron divinities of the arts in Greek mythology, responsible for inspiration and creativity. Another contribution to the establishment of the modern museum is the rich and diverse collections gathered by rulers, royals and nobles throughout the west. With the formation of civic nationalities, many of these collected treasures were passed on to the state, and national museums were established in order to preserve and display them. The traditional role of the museum is to safeguard art objects and artifacts with cultural or scientific value, and expose them to the public.

There are dozens of museums in Israel, holding varied collections and hosting alternating exhibitions. Some of these museums cover diverse areas of interest, while others are dedicated to certain fields (like fine art), or even to specific artists and their legacy.

See also museums in Tel-Aviv and museums in Jerusalem.