First Aliyah Museum

מוזיאון העלייה הראשונה

Museum · The First Aliyah · The founding of the moshavot · Baron Rothschild and his officials · The revival of Hebrew · 15-180 ₪

2 HaNadiv Street, Zichron Yaakov

The museum of the First Aliyah in Zichron Yaakov's administration house of 1894, built by Baron Rothschild's officials, telling the story of the first Zionist colonies with films, maps and models

The museum is in Beit HaPekidut, the administration house that Baron Rothschild's officials built in 1894, in its day the largest and grandest building in the Land of Israel and the administrative centre of all the colonies of the area; in 1903 it hosted the "Knessiya", the first time all the representatives of the Jewish community in the land met to discuss Zionism. Declared a national heritage site in 1988 and restored in the 1990s, it is named after Moshe and Sara Arison, of Zichron Yaakov's founding families. Its floors follow the First Aliyah from the forerunners of Zionism and the settlers' arrival, through the buying of land and the founding of the colonies, Baron Rothschild's support, the wine industry and the revolt against his officials, to the second wave of immigration and the revival of Hebrew, with short films, maps, models and a closing film in its auditorium. In the basement, children and families find a quiz on the objects of an old house, a corner of household things for small children, and period costume for a family photograph (15 shekels a person).