October 24, 2022 —The Israeli government announced the establishment of a new Albert Einstein Museum at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Safra Campus with $18 million in funding (64 million NIS).

One of the Hebrew University founders, Einstein bequeathed his archives to the university, which houses the world’s most extensive collection of his documents.

The Albert Einstein Museum will showcase the research, activities, and legacy of Einstein, a Nobel prizewinner and one of the world’s most renowned scientists. With cutting-edge exhibition techniques, scientific demonstrations, and original documents, the Museum will present Einstein’s contributions to science, the impact of his discoveries on our lives today, his public activity, and his involvement in key historical moments during his lifetime. The Museum will also highlight Einstein’s deep connection with the destiny of the Jewish people, the State of Israel, and the Hebrew University.

Visitors will be able to tour a reconstruction of Einstein’s library and office and examine original papers. The project directors expect the Albert Einstein Museum to become a major tourist attraction in Israel.

“Albert Einstein was one of the most prominent supporters of the State of Israel,”   says Professor Asher Cohen, president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “His legacy of excellence in academic research forms the very foundation of our university. His scientific achievements, which changed the world of physics, are all connected to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and continue to impact us, from lasers and nuclear energy to GPS and space travel. On behalf of the entire Hebrew University community, I would like to thank Minister Ze’ev Elkin and the government of Israel for helping to establish this museum, which will preserve and cherish the legacy of the greatest scientist of our time.”

The project, led by the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage and the Hebrew University, includes the construction of a unique building on the university’s Safra Campus at Givat Ram that will house the complete Einstein archives. The archives will be accessible to the general public in digital format and the museum will also serve as an innovative space for scientific and technological education.

This initiative was made possible through funding by Israel’s Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage, headed by MK Ze’ev Elkin, Knesset Minister of Construction and Housing, as well as the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, the Ministry of Finance, and the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the announcement yesterday, Elkin said, “As the new academic year opens, we are passing an important resolution for strengthening academia in Israel, the capital of Israel, and the Hebrew University. The establishment of the Albert Einstein Museum and the provision of a permanent home for the full Einstein archives will bolster the standing of Israeli academia in general, and of the Hebrew University in particular, in the international arena; will reinforce the international status of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; and will bring tens of thousands of tourists to this unique site.”