A very original tax museum one of this kindOriginali innagurated 1964 on Agron Street, the place of the private apartments of Waldorf Astoria today
Museum of Taxes
Researchers, students and those who want to learn more about taxation will find the Museum of Taxes fascinating. The museum was established by the State Revenue Administration of the Ministry of Finance in 1964. The original offices were on Agron Street before relocating in 2006 to its current location on Agripas Street and updating and computerizing many displays.
The idea behind establishing the museum was to explain to the public the importance of proper management of taxes, to show the link between the tax office and a citizen’s daily life and to create a central point for all information and visual material pertaining to the subject of taxation in Israel and in Jewish communities of the diaspora from the ancient world till now. The museum collection comprises documents, certificates, photographs and other items on topics that include:
• Taxes of the ancient world and in biblical texts
• State taxes in Jewish communities of the Diaspora
• Taxation in Israel during the Ottoman Period, the British Mandate and following the establishment of the State of Israel
• The development of the marking system as proof of payment of taxes
• Prevention of smuggling and importation of illegal goods (such as gambling accessories, weaponry, drugs)
• International relations in the field of taxation
• Taxation around the world
• Taxation as part of Israel’s foreign policy
• A display of letters by famous personalities querying tax authorities, such as Ben-Gurion, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, Leah Goldberg and Ze’ev Vilnai.
Each display has an English description.
Entrance is free of charge, and museum visits should be coordinated in advance by phone with Mira Dror: +972-2-625-7597 or +972-2-531-7332 or +972-50-620-8458 (mobile).
TripAdvisor Reviews
Based on 8 traveler reviews“RENOVATED ORIGINAL MUSEUM”
“Very interesting”
This is a small museum. If you can read Hebrew, you will find it to be very interesting. It tells the overall story about taxes with se a eral personalstories of well known figures. It is a glimpse of history of the new nation, and a nice one.
“A Thinking Person’s Museum – a Hidden Treasure”
Each time I have visited Israel over the past few years I wanted to see the Museum of Taxes in Jerusalem. It can be visited by appointment only. For one reason or another, I was unable to coordinate with the curator. During my recent holiday I was staying on Agripas Street just down the...
MoreEach time I have visited Israel over the past few years I wanted to see the Museum of Taxes in Jerusalem. It can be visited by appointment only. For one reason or another, I was unable to coordinate with the curator. During my recent holiday I was staying on Agripas Street just down the road from the Museum and was determined to connect and visit, and so I did. This was one of four museums I visited during my stay in Israel this time. It was head and shoulders above the others. The Museum has moved from its original location and is fresh and charming. In contrast to other museums that keep popping up in Jerusalem which rely on the bells and whistles of technology and are low in content, this one is rich in information while still being visually appealing. I was lucky enough to have a tour of the Museum with Mira- who is also the museum’s curator. I actually had an hour and a half private tour! The displays are largely in Hebrew and my tour was in Hebrew (my preference), but I understand that Mira can do the tour just as easily in English. I was drawn to the Museum as I am an accountant who works specifically in tax, but one most certainly need NOT be an accountant to enjoy this richly curated display of documents, letters and physical artifacts. The stronger one’s knowledge of history, literature, Hebrew and Bible, the more enjoyable this Museum would be. I would strongly recommend going on the tour with Mira and not going on a self-guided tour. She is able to share additional rich information and is able to draw out the humour and irony in various documents and displays. I would most definitely revisit this Museum and would highly recommend it to someone who loves history and likes to ask questions. Young children should wait until they are older to visit. The Museum of Taxes does not have regular hours and may be a bit difficult to find, but it is well worth making the effort to visit. In addition, for some inexplicable reason- this outstanding museum has no admission fee! Thank you Mira. I have visited many museums in Israel over many years- the Museum of Taxes in Jerusalem is my favorite.
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