rockefeller Museum

rockefeller Museum is an archaeological museum located in Jerusalem, Israel, founded by John D. Rockefeller in 1938, with the support of British Mandate for Palestine authorities, including Herbert Samuel and Arthur Wauchope. The museum was designed by Austin Harrison and Spencer George and built during the British Mandate period, with the goal of showcasing the rich archaeological heritage of the region, including artifacts from Tel Megiddo, Samaria, and Jericho. The museum's establishment was also influenced by the work of Flinders Petrie, William Matthew Flinders Petrie, and Kathleen Kenyon, who conducted excavations in the region. The museum has been affiliated with the Israel Museum and the Israel Antiquities Authority, and has collaborated with institutions such as the British Museum, the Louvre, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

● History

The rockefeller Museum was established during a period of significant archaeological discovery in the region, with excavations at sites such as Masada, Caesarea Maritima, and Beth Shean. The museum's early collections included artifacts from the Palestine Archaeological Museum, which was founded by Felicien de Saulcy and Gustaf Dalman. The museum's history is also closely tied to the work of Leonard Woolley, who conducted excavations at Ur and Carchemish, and Kathleen Kenyon, who excavated at Jericho and Shechem. The museum has also been influenced by the work of Yigael Yadin, who excavated at Masada and Hazor, and Moshe Dayan, who was a prominent figure in the development of Israeli archaeology. The museum's collections have also been shaped by the work of Nelson Glueck, William Foxwell Albright, and Dorothy Garrod, who conducted excavations in the region.

● Architecture

The rockefeller Museum was designed in the International Style by Austin Harrison and Spencer George, with a focus on functionality and simplicity. The building's design was influenced by the work of Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius, and features a striking Art Deco entrance. The museum's architecture is also reminiscent of the Bauhaus style, which was popular in Tel Aviv and other cities in Mandate Palestine. The building's design has been compared to that of the Vatican Museums and the State Hermitage Museum, and has been influenced by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Kahn. The museum's gardens were designed by Eric Gill and feature a variety of plants and trees, including Olive trees and Cypress trees, which are native to the region.

● Collections

The rockefeller Museum's collections include a wide range of artifacts from the ancient Near East, including Egyptian antiquities from Tutankhamun's tomb and Ramses II's temple at Abu Simbel. The museum's collections also include artifacts from the Achaemenid Empire, including a Persepolis relief and a Cyrus Cylinder. The museum has a significant collection of Byzantine art and Islamic art, including mosaics from Hisham's Palace and Khirbat al-Mafjar. The museum's collections have been shaped by the work of Howard Carter, who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb, and Flinders Petrie, who excavated at Tell el-Amarna and Tanis. The museum has also acquired artifacts from the Louvre, the British Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, including works by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

● Exhibitions

The rockefeller Museum has hosted a number of significant exhibitions over the years, including a exhibition on the Dead Sea Scrolls and a exhibition on the Archaeology of Jerusalem. The museum has also hosted exhibitions on the History of the Middle East, including exhibitions on the Ottoman Empire and the British Mandate period. The museum's exhibitions have been curated by scholars such as Yigael Yadin and Kathleen Kenyon, and have included artifacts from the Israel Museum and the Palestine Archaeological Museum. The museum has also collaborated with institutions such as the Getty Museum and the Smithsonian Institution to host exhibitions on topics such as Ancient Greek art and Roman art. The museum's exhibitions have been influenced by the work of Andre Malraux and Pierre Bourdieu, who have written about the role of museums in shaping cultural identity.

● Conservation Efforts

The rockefeller Museum is committed to the conservation and preservation of its collections, and has established a number of programs to protect and conserve its artifacts. The museum has collaborated with institutions such as the Getty Conservation Institute and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property to develop conservation techniques and protocols. The museum's conservation efforts have been influenced by the work of Vincent Willem van Gogh and Paul Cézanne, who were pioneers in the field of art conservation. The museum has also worked with scholars such as Dorothy Garrod and Kathleen Kenyon to develop new methods for conserving and preserving archaeological artifacts. The museum's conservation efforts have been recognized by organizations such as the International Council of Museums and the World Heritage Centre, and have been supported by funding from institutions such as the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Category:Archaeological museums