Ben Gurion Airport's New Exhibition: Discover 3,000 Years of Jewish Heritage
Just as direct international routes into Israel are beginning to return in much larger numbers, a new exhibition entitled The Eternity of Israel has opened at Ben-Gurion Airport’s Terminal 3, providing visitors an opportunity to explore the history of Israel through archaeological findings and photos from rare moments of discovery. The exhibition takes passengers on a journey through the history of the people of Israel – a story of strength, challenges, upheavals, and revival, spanning thousands of years and illustrating the power of the people's renewal.
This new exhibition, the result of the joint efforts of the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Airports Authority and the Israel Ministry of Heritage, will be on display along the airport’s exit passage through January 2026. The Eternity of Israel is supported by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Sandor Frankel, a Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust: “A milestone for Israel’s cultural preservation efforts, this new exhibition from the Israel Antiquities Authority highlights the storied history of Israel and its people in a blend of archaeology and photography. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about Israeli life and the nation’s rich cultural history that spans thousands of years.”
The exhibition showcases breathtaking photographs from archaeological sites and from significant moments of discovery during excavation. Each photograph encapsulates a uniquely inspiring moment or special site, as captured by the camera lens. In addition to these powerful photographs, original and rare archaeological findings are on display, bearing witness to different periods in the history of the Jewish People.
The exhibition enables the visitor to form impressions from items, such as agricultural tools from a Hasmonean-era farm uncovered near Mount Arbel and displayed here for the first time; a Hasmonean coin hoard found in the desert; physical evidence to the name “Ahab,” the famous king of northern Israel; an original Western Wall stone weighing 5 tons; and weapons of long-gone conquerors.
Each photo and finding features a QR code that allows passengers to access videos filmed at the excavation areas, providing the opportunity to experience the discoveries in singular moments. In addition, the exhibition displays models of important archaeological findings in the country’s history, which visitors will be invited to touch.
Credit: Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority
