Profile

The Israel Museum
Entrance Complex

Jerusalem, Israel
Design completed 2001

Lead Designer: James Ingo Freed

New entry complex, infrastructure and museum reorganization
 

The Israel Museum, established in 1965, grew by accretion into a sprawling complex of linked pavilions housing an extensive collection of archaeology, Judaica, ancient and modern art. The complex includes a twentieth-century sculpture garden designed by Isamu Noguchi together with the nearby Shrine of the Book (where the most important fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls are preserved); it constitutes one of the most important cultural institutions in Israel.

The impetus for this project was the lack of special function spaces, visitor amenities and suitable parking. The solution involves a complete reorganization of public, reception and orientation functions. The most significant elements of the scheme are grouped in a new three-story entry pavilion which, located at the center of gravity of the existing building, provides a wide range of visitor services and direct access to all of the museum's major collections.

New connections, sheltered from the elements, have been designed to complement, rather than replace, the existing entry sequence which terraces back some 200 meters along an outdoor promenade. Landscape thus plays a singularly important role in integrating the whole. A new water garden frames the Shrine of the Book on the north, an arcaded court engages it along the east, and a planted court improves access in the south, while the new entry pavilion engages the sculpture garden at west. Other improvements include a new security pavilion, improved climate control, and critically, a new underground garage and reorganized delivery / distribution systems that provide much needed relief from surface congestion.

Major Components

8,400m² skylit Entry Pavilion with ground level visitor reception hall, information, ticketing, museum store;  connections to exhibition galleries (level 2); orientation theaters, garden access; formal restaurant overlooking the city, café overlooking the sculpture garden, patrons' lounge, gallery space (level 3); 500-seat auditorium (below new entry court) with sunken water courts to bring daylight into a new cafeteria (below reception hall)

Arcaded connections to museum collections; extensive landscaping including tree-lined entry court and water garden

New 915m² security control pavilion at gateway to site; 10,000m² garage for 22 tour buses and 200 cars on 2 levels below grade; reorganized delivery / distribution systems; new technical plant to modernize mechanical / HVAC performance

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners services

Complete architectural services; Interior Design; coordination with associate architect on construction documents and construction administration

Associate Architect

A. Spector M. Amisar Planners Ltd., Jerusalem

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