Don’t miss these 6 museums in Haifa

October 13th 2014

The northern coastal city of Haifa has a lot to offer tourists to Israel. Aside from the clean white beaches, Haifa is also home to a number of exciting museums, covering history art and archaeology.

Start with the Haifa City Museum, a newly built museum of the city’s history and culture. In the 1960s, Haifa had the largest concentration of movie houses in the world, with 25 theaters in the city. See film reels, photos of movie stars, old tickets and more. Sit in a small theater and watch old films and Israeli pre-film commercials.

Go further back in time with the National Maritime Museum, devoted to 5,000 years of maritime history in the Holy Land. The exhibits present the history of the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Nile River with an emphasis on Jewish seafaring.

At the Clandestine Immigration and Navy Museum, learn about the years when Jews were forced to immigrate to the British Mandate of Palestine through illegal means. You’ll also get an overview of Israeli Naval History and see a large collection of naval guns and ship parts.

Enter the world of art with the Haifa Museum of Art, which displays works by both Israeli and international artists, and features sculptures, painting and graphic art. The recently added New Media Center focuses on the history of Israeli video art in the context of international video art.

Another museum devoted to art is the much smaller Mane-Katz Museum. This museum focuses on the work on artist Emmanuel Mané-Katz, a Ukrainian painter who later made his home in Paris and visited Israel frequently. Enjoy a rich collection of Jewish religious and ceremonial art and depictions of the European shtetl.

For something a bit different, visit the only Middle Eastern museum of Japanese art. The Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art, founded by a Holocaust survivor, seeks to introduce visitors to the rich heritage of Japan, including samurai swords, Japanese fans, ceramics and paintings.