On the Seam – Socio-political contemporary art museum
“One of the 29 most impressive art institutions in the world” (The New York Times).
On the Seam is a unique boutique museum which exhibits the finest art from Israel and abroad by leading contemporary artists, and discusses social, gender-oriented, ethnic and geographical issues, while emphasizing what connects us rather than what keeps us apart.
Past exhibitions at the Museum, which was described by the National Geographic as “a fascinating and unique museum”, have dealt with themes of human rights, animal rights, ecology and sustainability, and the place of the individual, among others, in modern world.
The Museum, which was selected by the CNN as “one of Israel’s 10 best museums”, is located in a beautiful neo-classical building, built in 1932. During the years Jerusalem was divided (1948-1967), the house was turned into an Israeli military outpost situated on the border between Israel and Jordan, and was the only passage between the two parts of the divided city. During the battles of the 1967 war, the house suffered hits from shells and bullets that are apparent to this day.
Washington University’s website stated: “This is one of the best museums in the world. The most intense active square meter to art ratio you will ever find.” Located only five minutes’ walk from Mea Shearim and the Old City, the Museum’s rooftop holds one of Jerusalem’s most magnificent views, a coffee shop, art books and the Jerusalemite atmosphere.
Prices
Adult – 30 NIS
Student \ Senior Citizen \ Soldier – 25 NIS
Join a guided tour at the museum
TripAdvisor Reviews
Based on 47 traveler reviews
We went to the Museum on the Seam, at the join of Palestinian Arab East Jerusalem and Jewish West Jerusalem. And indeed we got there on the bus from West Jerusalem via Ultra-religious Jewish neighbourhoods, and left on the light railway, full of Arabs and Jews travelling together. My friend said the railway...
MoreWe went to the Museum on the Seam, at the join of Palestinian Arab East Jerusalem and Jewish West Jerusalem. And indeed we got there on the bus from West Jerusalem via Ultra-religious Jewish neighbourhoods, and left on the light railway, full of Arabs and Jews travelling together. My friend said the railway carriage felt like an extension of the exhibition! The museum is a place that wants to stress living together and it does succeed in this. The staff are both Jewish and Arab and very helpful. There is a lovely rooftop cafe with an amazing view over the old and new cities. The exhibition we saw (now finished) had a very simple message about Jews, Christians and Moslems living together. Perhaps too simple? But perhaps not, since so many people today seem to find this very difficult. Good for the museum for trying. Perhaps the best part of the exhibition was the short film taken in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which stressed that while pilgrims may come there for spiritual uplift, the monks of the different denominations are often at odds with each other. The photography here was wonderful. I look forward to seeing other exhibitions here.
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Regrettably, my visit to this museum fell flat for a number of reasons. I was so excited to visit while in Jerusalem, as I love contemporary art, but though this museum preaches inclusivity and social awareness I found it sorely lacking. I'll keep this short- the museum claims to be on the "Seam" of Muslim...
MoreRegrettably, my visit to this museum fell flat for a number of reasons. I was so excited to visit while in Jerusalem, as I love contemporary art, but though this museum preaches inclusivity and social awareness I found it sorely lacking. I'll keep this short- the museum claims to be on the "Seam" of Muslim and Jewish sections of Jerusalem, and yet all of the museum descriptions were in English and Hebrew, without accessibility to Arabic speakers. There were no artists from the Arab world, and most exhibits were from the West- which would be fine, except that the majority of pieces involved female oppression in the Arab world and veiling in religious traditions, particularly Islam. This is an important issue, and the art was very impactful, but this discourse came from western artists and I couldn't help but feel that Arab women were left out of the conversation, and were instead just used as a voiceless subject throughout the museum. As someone who was excited to attend this museum, and still enjoyed my visit but just has a few remarks, I would love to see this institution improve its ability to represent the "Seam" with a bit more thought, perhaps by adding Arabic descriptions and including Arab artists more in their galleries alongside Israeli and western creators.
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The Museum sits in what used to be a military surveillance point, just on the border between East and West Jerusalem. It's surrounded by the Jewish Orthodox neighbourhood of Mea Shearim and the mostly Palestinean areas across the street that used to divide the city. Thus the name is truly purposeful. The building and the views...
MoreThe Museum sits in what used to be a military surveillance point, just on the border between East and West Jerusalem. It's surrounded by the Jewish Orthodox neighbourhood of Mea Shearim and the mostly Palestinean areas across the street that used to divide the city. Thus the name is truly purposeful. The building and the views from the small holes for weaponry is worth some time. And the exhibition was carefully curated, alongside themes, in this case women and their place in modern society. A small museum in a great location to spend big time. A must every time you visit the city.
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