Shrine of the Book

What this is

The Shrine of the Book is a dedicated museum building within the Israel Museum complex in Jerusalem. It was built for the first seven scrolls discovered at Qumran in 1947 and opened on 20 April 1965. The building was designed by Armand P. Bartos and Frederick J. Kiesler.

It is both a manuscript gallery and a major work of modern architecture. Give the building proper attention before going inside: its design explains the exhibition’s visual language.

Read the architecture

The white tiled dome evokes the lids of the jars in which the first scrolls were found. Facing it is a stark black basalt wall. Together, they refer to the opposition between the “Sons of Light” and “Sons of Darkness” in the scrolls.

Water surrounds the dome, while the approach leads through a cave-like corridor. Much of the structure sits below ground, creating a deliberate shift from bright exterior to subdued interior.

Best exterior view: stand back far enough to frame the dome, water and basalt wall together. This is the building’s essential composition.

Inside the shrine

The upper galleries follow the Dead Sea Scrolls, their discovery in the Judean Desert and the Qumran community. The lower galleries focus on the Aleppo Codex and the transmission of the Hebrew Bible.

The manuscripts are exceptionally light-sensitive. Displays change for conservation, so do not expect every famous original to be on view at once. Look closely at the labels: they distinguish original material, replicas and related archaeological objects.

Pair it with the model

The open-air Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period stands beside the Shrine. It depicts Jerusalem around 66 CE, placing the scrolls in their late Second Temple context. See the model first if you want a quick spatial reference for the world discussed inside; visit the Shrine first if the manuscripts are your priority.

Access and timing

The Shrine is within the Israel Museum at 11 Derech Ruppin, Givat Ram. Entry is covered by museum admission. Follow signs from the main entrance across the museum grounds; the shrine and model form their own cluster.

Allow 45–60 minutes for the Shrine alone, or longer if you read the manuscript interpretation in detail. The outdoor architecture is easiest to appreciate in daylight; the gallery is a useful middle-of-the-day stop. Museum opening days and hours vary, with Sunday generally closed.