The Israeli government on Sunday approved the establishment of the Albert Einstein Museum on the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Safra Campus in Givat Ram, at the cost of $18 million (NIS 64m.).
It will house evidence of Albert Einstein’s contributions to science, the impact of his discoveries, his public activity, his involvement in key historical moments during his lifetime and his deep connection with the Jewish people, the State of Israel and the Hebrew University (HU).
This project, led by the Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Ministry and HU, will include the construction of a unique facility that will house the full Einstein archives. The facility will be accessible to the general public in digital format. The museum will also serve as an innovative space for scientific and technological education.
The Albert Einstein Museum will showcase the research, activities and legacy of Albert Einstein – a Nobel Prize winner and one of the world’s most renowned scientists – using cutting-edge exhibition techniques, scientific demonstrations and original documents.
Visitors will be able to tour a reconstruction of Einstein’s library and office and view several of his original papers. The project directors expect the museum to become a major tourist attraction in Israel.
מדינת ישראל מקימה את מוזיאון איינשטיין בירושלים.מחר אני מגשים חלום קטן שלי. בהיותי ראש הממשלה, סיפרו לי שאלברט איינשטיין הוריש במותו לאוניברסיטה העברית את הארכיון שלו ואת כל כתביו. שאלתי מה אנחנו עושים עם זה, ונעניתי שיש ארכיון. >> pic.twitter.com/PfGbOKZIrP
— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) October 22, 2022
Prof. Hanoch Gutfreund, a former rector and president of HU who has held various academic and administrative positions there, including head of the Physics Institute and the Advanced Studies Institute, is the director of the Einstein Center and is the university’s appointee responsible for Albert Einstein’s intellectual property. In 1966, He received his doctorate in theoretical physics from HU and knows more about Einstein than almost anyone.
How was the establishment of the museum made possible?
This initiative was made possible through funding by the Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Ministry headed by MK Ze’ev Elkin, as well as the Education, Culture and Sport, and Finance ministries, and the Prime Minister’s Office. The government will provide NIS 22.5m. and the university NIS 41.5m.
Elkin, who is also minister of construction and housing, commented, “The establishment of the 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.”
He added that it “will reinforce the international status of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and will bring tens of thousands of tourists to this unique site.”
HU president Prof. Asher Cohen said, “Einstein was one of the most prominent supporters of the State of Israel and one of the founding fathers of Hebrew University. His legacy of excellence in academic research forms the very foundation of our university, whereas his scientific achievements, which changed the world of physics, continue to impact all of our lives, from lasers and nuclear energy to global positioning systems and space travel.”
“Einstein was one of the most prominent supporters of the State of Israel and one of the founding fathers of Hebrew University."
Prof. Asher Cohen