The Kaiser is coming! An awesome new exhibition at the Tower of David, Jerusalem!

The Kaiser is coming!One of our favorite spots in Jerusalem, the Tower of David, has a great new exhibition all about Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and his visit to Jerusalem – back in October 1898!

UPDATE: The Tower of David Museum is also providing tours of the amazing excavations at the nearby Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, together with entry into the “Kaiser is Coming” exhibition. Dates for tours are December 7 and December 28 only. Reservations in advance only – call 02-6265333 / *2884.

It might not sound like much, but this exhibition highlights the impact this momentous visit had on Jerusalem, a city just reawakening to the fact that it was considered by many to be the Center of the Universe.

With some stunning photos on display, virtual newspapers, and some amazing interactive images projected on huge screens with subtitles / interaction in a variety of languages, you can get a real feeling for what actually happened during this famous week-long visit by Kaiser Wilhelm and his wife.

The Kaiser is coming!Amazingly, Jerusalem prepared itself for a year in advance! To add to that sense of anticipation, the Kaiser’s visit also received unprecedented press coverage from journalists and photographers from around the world.

For a like-on-like comparison of the local excitement, imagine President Barack Obama visiting somewhere like Lod or Afula in Israel today…

There’s a lot of emphasis on the visit by the Kaiser according to how it was seen by through the lens of reporters and media, with special emphasis on the preparations, the Kaiser’s visits to sites like the Temple Mount, and the very public and rapturous receptions the people of Jerusalem gave him and his entourage.

Our Verdict

We saw the exhibition and loved it! The technology and interactive screens were great to try, and a definite nod in the direction of the touch screen generation. It was also not too heavy and intense, and fairly short, something you could browse in 30-45 minutes and really enjoy.

We’d highly recommended it as part of a visit to the Tower of David citadel (entrance fee is included in the price) and, of course, the Night Spectacular show.

One special moment to watch out for: perhaps the first real Photoshop moment, with Herzl’s meeting with the Kaiser getting some unique “touching up”!

Opening Hours

The exhibition opened at the end of October 2012, and runs til March 2013 and is open during the Museum’s regular opening hours (Sunday – Thursday 10:00 – 16:00, Saturday 10:00 – 14:00, Fridays – closed).

For more information, see the official site.

The Kaiser is coming!

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