Tel Aviv Museum of Art

Tel Aviv Museum of Art is a municipal museum, one of Israel's leading artistic and cultural institutions. The museum comprises various departments: The Department of Israeli Art, which holds a comprehensive collection of local art from the beginning of the 20th century to the present; the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art, which encompasses international works from the mid-19th century to the present; the Department of Prints and Drawings; the Department of Photography; the Department of Architecture and Design; and the Old Masters Department, with art from the 16th to the 19th century. In addition to its extensive program of permanent and changing exhibitions, the museum offers a vibrant selection of programs and activities for adults, youth and children: concerts, classes, lectures, guided tours, workshops, and more. The museum was envisioned and founded in 1932 by the first Mayor of Tel Aviv, Meir Dizengoff, in his private home on Rothschild Boulevard. Since then, it has changed locations and developed significantly. The museum's collection, which originally comprised only a few dozen items, has grown steadily – in great part through generous donations by collectors and artists, and thanks to the dedication and support of the museum's local and international committees and friends. The museum is currently situated in three main buildings: The Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art, built in the heart of the city in 1959, was the museum's abode for twelve years and today showcases mainly temporary exhibitions; the Main Building on Shaul Hamelech Boulevard, which opened in 1971; and adjacent to it, the new Herta and Paul Amir Building, inaugurated in the Fall of 2011, which doubled the museum's exhibition space. Designed by American architect Preston Scott Cohen, this innovative building is an international landmark at the center of Tel Aviv, Israel’s cultural capital. The museum's extended exhibition space also includes the Lola Beer Ebner Sculpture Garden, and Nata's Garden. The Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Art Education Center, operating from its own building since 1988 and offering a wide variety of art workshops, is also an integral part of the museum.