ABSTRACT
The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, perhaps best known for the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, includes permanent collections ranging from prehistoric archaeology through to contemporary art. It is the leading cultural institution in Israel, and is one of the largest encyclopaedic museums in the world, annually presenting a full roster of temporary exhibitions, publications and educational activities. The three curatorial wings of the main museum, Archaeology, Judaica and Jewish Ethnography and Fine Art extend over 22 departments, with extensive holdings of the archaeology of the Holy Land, and fine art holdings from Old Masters in European Art, through international contemporary art. In addition to the art collections, visitors throng to the Shrine of the Book to see the internationally renowned Dead Sea Scrolls, the five-acre Sculpture Garden designed by the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi and to the archaeology collections that reflect Israel’s position as a bridge between the great civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia.
