Haifa Museums

Haifa Museum

With over a dozen museums to choose from, there is a Haifa museum for every age, interest, and mood.

Castra Museum (Photo: Hanay, CC BY-SA 3.0)

The two Castra Museums are located in the Castra Shopping Center. The Hecht Museums are on the campus of the University of Haifa. The Haifa History Museum is in the German colony in a historic Templar building. The Madatek National Museum of Science, Technology and Space is on the old campus of the Technion. The Israel Oil Industry Museum is inside a factory, and the Shtekelis Pre-History Museum is in the Gan Ha’em Park, next to the zoo. The Israeli Personal Computer Museum is situated in a high-tech company called Media Tech and has a collection of outdated personal computers, most of which are still in working order.

The National Museum of Science, Technology and Space (Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0)

Some Haifa museums are suitable for all ages, including the Madatek National Museum of Science, Technology and Space with over 600 exhibits that are mainly hands-on for the enjoyment of the entire family; the Castra Biblical Doll Museum, featuring hundreds of dolls made by a Holocaust survivor; Magda West, portraying the entire history of the Jewish people; the Railway Museum, situated in Haifa’s old railroad station; and the Children’s Art Center.

Haifa Archeological Museums

If you are interested in archeological museums, Haifa has some fascinating ones, including the Castra Archeology Museum which features the ancient Byzantine city of Castra; the Haifa History Museum or Bet Ha’am; and the Shtekelis Museum of Pre-History about prehistoric civilizations in the Carmel area. The Hecht Archeological Museum has many fascinating archeological finds, including the hull of an ancient ship that is more than 2,400 years old. Haifa is also home to the National Maritime Museum and the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum, which exhibits a ship that snuck immigrants into Israel past the British blockade.

Garden Path, Tikotim Museum of Japanese Art (Photo: Asaf Elron , CC BY-SA 3.0)

Haifa Art Museums

If art is your forte, Haifa will not disappoint you with its art museums. In addition to the Children’s Art Museum, visit the Haifa Museum of Art, the Chagall Artists’ House, the Judaica Museum of Artist Mane-Katz, the Hecht Art Museum and the one-of-a-kind Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art. Its Sculpture Garden displays 29 bronze statues, mainly of women and children, that were donated by sculptress Ursula Malbin. The Bet Hagefen Arab-Jewish Center has exhibits by Jewish and Arab artists.

Some industries in Haifa have their own very interesting museums. There’s the Israel Oil Industry Museum, the Electric Visitors’ Center at the Haifa power station, and the Dagon Grain Museum.

Haifa Museums: Did You Know?

From the Sculpture Garden you can see all the way to Rosh Hanikra and the mountains of the Galilee.