Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Bayt Jālā

Amazing collection of ancient artifacts from Israel, ranging Neanderthal to Biblical times, and a few post-biblical items. Well curated, though some of the narrative signage and labels need updating from the typewriter originals.

Cool stuff what they collected over many decades. A little bit sad, dusty, old fashioned. Kind of the owners came right from desert, dropped what they found and left again.

Great!

Amazing museum, free, with lots of artifacts and presented in very structural way. It is a pity that not many visitors and seems like the outside its not being lovingly maintained .

Stunning 30s building house 100,000 years collection. Sadly few visit and its FREE, right near Herods Gate

Does anybody else find it funny that this is a Rockefeller museum by a historical holy site?? Probably just me being paranoid but I dont believe so

A beautiful, remarkable place. The museum itself is like stepping into the British Mandate, and the collection is fascinating. Many of the smaller items aren’t marked, but that’s how it was back in the 30s, and really, do you have time to read every description?The courtyard is gorgeous.Also, it’s free.

Loved this museum, well worth the visit, got lost trying to find the entrance

Old school museum, totally worth it because of the building itself, the fact it is free...and the collection itself, although the setup could be improved!We had a very rainy day and it was a perfect option :)

Old school museum, interesting of course, but not attractive at all. Very expeditive explanations displayed. The building itself is a treasure.

Excellent collection but presentation is reminiscent of a byegone era. During the week no parking except handicapped. No entrance fee. Excellent library.

Small museum but very diverse. Located in a beautiful building. Free entry.

Perfect match for Indiana funs and friends. Its empty and for free parking on Saturday. Authentic place at the foot of the Old city walls, with terrible traffic of Sheikh Jerah and feeling in another univers. Island of Silence in a middle of East bazaar.

Small yet impressive archeological collection. I just wish they had more (read: anydetails about the majority of items!

Very small but interesting museum, worth visiting if you are in the area

Excellent collection of Neolithic artifacts, some labels in English, Arabic and Hebrew. They have visitor information cards which are in poor condition and some are missing. The whole museum is tired and kind of sad which is a shame because they have some really good stuff.

Must see for archeology fans and great structure

A nice museum with very few people, funny. Maybe comparing to the other sights, it’s not that important for Jerusalem. But there are many beautiful antiques which are worthy to see. Don’t follow the googlemap. The entrance is on the other side, not far from the Herod’s gate. Entrance is free, good!

Amazing historical building with nice small permanent exhibition + temporary exhibition

If your into what the archaologists have dug up and preserved this is it. The museum is free. But dont let this fool you. It is the most extensive museum I have seen in relation to artifacts. And Ive been to a lot of museums. I spent a couple hours pondering over the objects being just facinated by them. And there are hundreds of artifacts here. This is one of my favorite places I visited here in Jerusalem.

A well kept secret. Lovely museum with an amazing collection. Could use some more detailed information on the exhibits.

Surrounded on one side by the Old City walls and by a grove of ancient olive trees on another, this museum is an often overlooked gem of ancient treasures and a hidden corner of the city, to which one can retreat free of charge to experience the citys transition from Ottoman to British rule or sit by the courtyard pool and relax while inhaling the sweet scent of herbs.

Very interesting collection of historical artifacts from all around this region are displayed, some of them even belong to the sites where regular tourists wouldnt get chance to reqch. Besides, the mueum building itself is an amazing artifact, the inner garden reminds me of some of the public palaces i Portugal. As locals, we totally felt like in abroad here.

Wonderful exhibit about 100 years of Armenian Ceramicists of Jerusalem. Glimpse of Paradise

Great place to take photos, and feel history. Made me feel like if I’m in an old Museum in an old film. I hope it stays that way.

Tons of archeological findings and ancient relics, well preserved and explained. You start with egyptian findings, then history of humanity from snote to early bronze age, then roman history, coins, islam and then humanity again from mid bronze to islam era. Beautiful garden outside as well (those who saw "hayehudim baim" will recognize as the cohens alter and shlomos room).Free to enter, absolutely worth it!Better to take L1 (light trainand then walk than taking line 1 (busbecause of the trafic

This is a museum of museum - because the modern museums are not like this. Rockfeller Archaeological museum is one of the coolest remains of British mandatory culture and British spirit.

Wonderful museum with great collection of artefacts of land of Israel from prehistoric times through bronze and Iron age to early arabic period

Free entry. Wealth of archaeological artefacts. However a lot of it weren’t labelled. Still an experience to visit this museum.

Interesting and very quiet.

Very nice place to visit in the east part of the city you can use bus number 1 it brings you here from the central bus station and I really recommend you to come here for many different reasons, they have nice gates and hisorty from different period of time and different places like the holy spechular church and Muslim places from jericho and old history you can spend one full day here and its all for free of charge you dont need to pay any ticket to come here and its close to the old city 2 min walking from the museum

Very interesting and rich exposition. Unique artifacts, Israel different periods history representation.

Wonderful place with many staff of archeology history and open for everyone.A real pleasure walk atound and inside the museum building, you can take 3 4 hours like Vatican..

Situated in East Jerusalem this historical museum contains findings from all over the country, from the high plains of the Golan to the deep valleys of the Negev, while in it of itself being a part of this land history. The museum was built by the British Mandate in the 30s, and used as the head quarters of the archeological association of Palestine. Beautiful building, the display of antiques is limited yet very interesting.Best time to visit is on mid week days, Sun-Thu. Between the hours of 9pm-1pm

Charming building. Nothing has been updated, and I think it makes it more interesting. Its in a Muslim section, just out of the old city walls. Worth a trip if it appeals to you, but know that its not near the level of the Israel museum.

Many many great artifacts of the land of Israels past. From the ancient Chalcolithic era for example, to the 19th century... Sarcophagai, ceramics, mosaics.... The Crusader lintel that used to be hung on top of the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher, and many more things, in a museum built and run in the British Mandate Era in Israel, that was conquered by Jordan, and then conquered back by Israel. Worth visiting.

Great museum just outside the city walls. Really interesting architecture and free entry!

Surprisingly, this place seems to be a hidden gem!With free admission and low turnout, you could have the place to yourself.Thousands of artifacts dating back thousands of years.Theres plenty to see, but sadly not much to learn. The artifacts are mostly not labeled. The museum itself is a time capsule from the 1960s.It desperately needs to update its artifact listing, or offer brochures/ a website where you can understand what youre looking at.That said, they have an amazing collection you should not miss!

This is one of my favorite buildings in Israel. Founded by the British mandate government around 1935 it was designed as the archaeological museum, and it still functions as one today. Austen St. Barbe Harrison is the architect and the stone sculpture Arthur Eric Rowton Gill came from England to make the signs and the stone designs. Take a walk through the long halls and patio, visit the enchanting library and if you can take the spiral staircase to the lower floor to take a glimpse at the wonders of the Israel Antiquities Authority back rooms and storage. The exhibits of the museum are truly extraordinary and tell the archaeological story of this unique land.

Very interesting museum of local archaeology with artefacts going back 100,000 years. Includes ancient human remains. Some items are very unusual as they represent local ancient people. Others from the Romans etc are of high quality. The building is also interesting as it dates back to the 1930s and has sculpture by Eric Gill.

Love this museum. It is laid out from the earliest times, so far discovered (including Neandertal right up to the Byzantine and Muslim period.

Amazing museum about the history of Israel

Great museum to see a lot of ancient artifacts from all over Israel. It has a nice quiet library if you want to study.

Built by the British in 1927 as an archeology museum. Now run by the Israel Museum. Easy walk from the Old City. Entry is free. A nice addition after we spent most of the day before at the main Israel Museum in the Bronfman archeology and antiquities wing.

Rockefeller Archaeological Museum. The Rockefeller Archaeological Museum, situated in a magnificent white limestone edifice in East Jerusalem, houses the extraordinary collection of antiquities unearthed in excavations conducted in the country mainly during the time of the British Mandate (1919-1948).

Excellent palestinian archeological museum built between the 2 world wars. Free entrance. Open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 10:00 to 15:00. Shabbat 10 to 14:00.

Although its owned by the Israel Museum, the Rockefeller museum is clear a very different type of museum. It was originally set up during the British mandate period and it shows - in many ways it still looks like what people thought a museum should look like in the 1940s. Interpretive signs are far fewer, very few large items, and most things assume their audience will be the well educated aristocracy. The whole place just feels old and dusty. The library even boasts that it has "authentic furniture from the British mandate period". Kid friendly this place is not. It is also very unique - while the Israel museum focuses on Jewish history, this branch focuses much more on the Arab history of the area. The library is one of the best features - you cant take anything out, but its open to the public and if you want to read anything about archaeology, this is clearly the place to go.

Very interesting archeological museum. All the discoveries date back to the British mandate period (after the Jewish state was founded, the museum of Israel started to take all findings). The premises dimensions can be compared to the Bible land museum. The entrance is free of charge. I say again - I liked the museum very much.

A hidden gem in Eastern Jerusalem!.Opened in 1938, the Rockefeller Archaeological Musuem presents to this day most of its original exhibition, major finds made across the Land of Israel during British Mandate period.A MUST for anyone interested in the history and archaeology of the Holy Land

Loved it! Old school museum, galleries around a central atrium. The collection from Hishams Palace in Jericho is outstanding. Look for information on plastic sheets underneath display cases.