National Library of Israel

4.6

based on 259 traveler reviews

closedUntil 09:00

|1-3

Accessible

Free Entry

The library, as one of the most important long-standing national institutions, curates the national memory of the Jewish nation and the State of Israel.

The National Library, which has been functioning for over 120 years, holds around five million books and an innumerable amount of wonderful treasures, among them, ancient manuscripts, a unique collection of antique maps, books, magazines, posters, photographs, rare collections, including the biggest and most important collection of Jewish and Israeli music in the world.

The library is open to all and is a magnet not only for researchers but also for the curious, for readers, youth, and teenagers, with every visit exposing a different attraction.

The library invites you on a tour that will expose you to sections of its splendid collections. Tours are led by skilled members of the library staff. Every guide comes from a different department of the library and brings fascinating stories of the treasures in the library.

Following the tour visitors are invited to return for a "visit" via the library website which gives access to a large portion of the materials.

The library also organizes various cultural events such as lectures, seminars, concerts, exhibitions, performances, and educational programs for children. The public is welcome to join the library mailing list to keep in touch after their visit and get periodic updates on the latest events.

Tours may be booked in advance.

google reviews

4.6

based on 259 traveler reviews

Reut Golinsky
November 11, 2018
Israel's best library, it has any book you can think of. The library is dedicated to collecting the cultural treasures of Israel and of Jewish heritage and it holds more than 5 million books! It was very touching for me t...
David Raviv
August 1, 2023
A time travel to the 70's. The furniture is old and not maintained. Not comfortable to sit. Compared to Beit Ariela in Tel Aviv it seems we entered a different era in a distant location. You are not allowed to enter with...
omri shaltiel
October 17, 2017
Nice place for studying. lots of study halls. A huge collection of rare books.
Yisrael Gale
May 30, 2023
The cafe inside the current (old) library location has re-opened under the auspices of a new vendor (Kashrut: Tsohar).
Georgia Gilbert Gladitz
January 7, 2020
It's an amazing library with an incredible range of books, manuscripts, and other artefacts not only about Jewish life and culture in Israel but the diaspora, as well as other communities within Israel who are not Jewish....