If you’re in Jerusalem over the next few months, then head to the Tower of David for another amazing exhibition – this time they have a year long exhibition dedicated to the medical history of Jerusalem called Jerusalem: A Medical Diagnosis!
It looks like being something rather special, with thousands of years of life in the city seen through the lens of medical milestones, beginning with the days of King David and King Hezekiah until the modern history of Hadassah and Shaare Zedek hospitals.
This extensive exhibition draws inspiration from stories and medical cases, from doctors and pharmacies in the Old City and the new city, and from the many exhibits that are being shown to the public for the first time. The exhibition looks at the partnerships and contradictions found in the space between miracles and medicine.
Watch out for the stories of uses and types of cures that have survived from Biblical times and reports on how sickness and plague have changed the fate of history. The exhibition also shows how the holiness and status of Jerusalem brought streams of pilgrims, priests, scholars and travelers to its gates. Many of them needed medical services while others provided medical relief.
The huge range of exhibits from around the world also looks enticing (in a gory kind of way); many are being shown to the public for the first time at the Tower of David Museum. Among the artifacts are photo albums from the Rothschild Archives in England, an x-ray machine dating back to the 1920s, the door knocker from the Order of St John’s hospital (lent by the Order of St John in London) which according to belief came from the original Crusader hospital, record books from Shaare Zedek, lotions and potions, diaries of nurses and doctors from the early 20th century, and cuddly toys from 1908 that made children smile despite their illness.
The exhibition is presented in two galleries:
- Part One – The Miracle and the Plague and the Historical Apothecary in Phasael Tower
- Part Two – The Physicians’ Wisdom and Medical Mercy in the Crusader Hall
In the courtyard there is a special exhibit of traditional remedies and spices brought from the Old City markets. An array of traditional herbs can be found in the Herb Garden.
The breathtaking lookout point on the top of Phasael Tower, where the old city meets the new, concludes the visitor experience to the exhibition and the Tower of David, the gateway to Jerusalem, then and now. Don’t forget to read our review of the Tower of David, and while here, don’t miss the Night Spectacular – it really is spectacular!
As part of the on-going events surrounding the exhibition, there will be walking tours that use the exhibition as a platform to explore “The Secrets of Medicine in Jerusalem” in and around the Old City on Friday mornings.
Museum opening hours: Sunday – Thursday: 09:00 – 16:00 Friday and Saturday: 09:00 – 14:00
The exhibition runs from May 1 2014 to April 2015.
For more information and reservations: 02-6265333 / *2884