#36 Israel Museum (page 401)

June 9, 1997: The Dead Sea Scrolls, from the 1st century B.C., discovered by a shepherd in Qumran in 1947 are housed here.
Exploring the 20-acre Billy Rose Sculpture Garden

My ticket stub.
My journal entry regarding my visit here: "There were all kinds of artifacts and pieces of art and clothing displays from various cultures and time periods. There was a really neat oil painting done on wood which was in the form of a barn or cabin type shelter. It was hidden inside a shipping crate which is the only reason why it was saved during the Nazi regime since it depicts a Jewish family and religious scenes incorporated with everyday life. It was interesting becasue it showed a display of how the Bar Mitzvah costumes have changed throughtout the years, yet today the boys were wearing jeans and Doc Martins - at least the non-orthodox. I saw 3 original Monet's, 2 Picassos and many other beautiful pieces of art. Arguabley the most interesting thing was to see the Dead Sea Scroolls along with the artifacts they found with or nearby them. It was really amazing to see those orignical documents from the Essene Community in Qumran, especially since we've been to those exact caves. I saw the Psalms scroll from Cave 11 and the Temple Scroll which describes an ideal edifice that was never built. Two jars were on display which contained the hidden scrolls in those caves since 68 C.E. We took a tour during this upcoming part to gain a better understanding. There were coins found in Qumran and these coins they think came from a person trying to join the group who had to turn in this money while undergoing a two year trial period to see if he would be accepted. Purity was very important to them which included washing in the Mikvah and being modest..... Most likely it was a community of 120 men. They found 3 different languages on the parchment - Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.... We left the museum after a 3 hour visit.
Verdict: Even if you don't see anything else here, a visit here is worth your while just to see the Dead Sea Scrolls in person. Amazing!