‘This year, as The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, reaches its 60th anniversary, we are marking a defining moment in the institution’s history,” museum director Suzanne Landau told the Magazine.
On the occasion of this noteworthy anniversary, the museum reflects on six decades of cultural stewardship, intellectual engagement, and artistic exploration. This milestone offers an opportunity to honor its impact on both Israeli and global culture while contemplating the road ahead.
Landau has had a long and distinguished career at The Israel Museum since she first began working there as a registrar in 1978. She has subsequently been pivotal in shaping its growth, bringing her deep understanding of Israeli and international art to her roles as curator of contemporary art and later as chief curator of the fine arts wing. Now, in her capacity as director as of 2023, Landau shares insights into the institution’s enduring legacy, its ongoing transformation, and its unwavering commitment to preserving cultural heritage while adapting to future challenges.
The Israel Museum opened in 1965 with a bold vision: to create an encyclopedic institution able to serve as a vibrant cultural hub for a young nation. Designed to contain the multifaceted nature of human civilization, the museum was conceived as a living entity that engages with Israel’s evolving identity and the world at large. It has fulfilled that vision with aplomb, amassing a collection of over half a million objects spanning centuries of history, art, and culture.
This has allowed it to serve as a cultural beacon, a repository of artistic treasures bridging past and present, local and global narratives. Its ever-expanding collection, curatorial traditions, and international reputation have fostered a unique space for dialogue and cultural exchange.
Reflecting on the institution’s journey, Landau notes that the museum’s success lies in its dual commitment: to safeguard the past while remaining attuned to the shifting dynamics of contemporary culture.
“It’s not just about marking the anniversary,” Landau reflects. “It’s about recognizing what has been achieved, understanding how far we’ve come, and thinking deeply about what comes next. Sixty years is an opportunity to ask the fundamental question: How does the Israel Museum keep evolving, in a way that reflects its core values but also addresses the pressing needs of our time?”
National heritage and global perspective
A defining feature of the Israel Museum has long been its ability to weave Israeli heritage into a broader international framework. From its inception, the museum has cultivated cross-cultural dialogue, creating conversations that resonate beyond geographic or ideological boundaries. Landau notes that the institution has consistently preserved its Israeli identity while remaining open to the currents of international art, an approach that positions it as both a cultural anchor and a platform for expansive visual inquiry.
“The core of our mission,” says Landau, “is not just about presenting Israeli art or Jewish history; it’s about presenting them in a way that sparks a conversation with the rest of the world. It’s about taking what is specific and connecting it with what is universal. This is what allows the museum to be relevant, within Israel and beyond.”
That dual focus is echoed in the museum’s current programming, which continues to pair local themes with global voices. A recent exhibition, Tomer Ganihar / Philip Johnson: Dark Ages / Light Age, paired the Israeli photographer and the visionary modernist architect in a striking visual dialogue that exposed a history unknown both here and across the Atlantic. Chris Marker: The Lost Photographs of Israel offers a rare outsider perspective on the people and landscapes of the country in 1960.
One of this year’s major exhibitions, Lucid Dreams, brings together a wide spectrum of works by Israeli and international artists, spanning 100 years of the Surrealist movement. The mingling of cultures and media mirrors the museum’s broader ethos: creating spaces where unexpected encounters and dialogues give rise to new meanings.
“We look at art as a conversation, not a monologue,” Landau says. “In exhibitions like Lucid Dreams, we let the works speak to one another, uncovering new layers and perspectives for visitors.”
Embracing innovation
As the Israel Museum looks to the future, one of its most ambitious undertakings is the integration of digital technology. In an effort to connect with younger audiences and expand accessibility, the museum is launching an advanced digital interactive interface that will allow users to explore more of the collection beyond what is on view. The interactive experience will showcase the collection’s richness and allow for possibilities of connection.
This innovative spirit has also shaped the museum’s recent programming. The Emperor and the Bees, a poetic exhibition presented during Landau’s directorship, juxtaposed a site specific contemporary artwork with historical sculpture. Notably, it incorporated 3D printed mesh models, demonstrating the museum’s openness to new technologies.
A commitment to community
The museum’s spirit of outreach also extends beyond its new digital interface. Days after October 7, under Landau’s leadership, the institution launched a series of initiatives to support vulnerable communities. These included creative workshops for displaced populations, art-based programs for soldiers dealing with post-traumatic stress, and educational tools for underserved schools. In each, art was positioned not only as a form of cultural enrichment but as a means of emotional sustenance.
“The museum has an important role to play,” Landau says, “to heal and unite, to provide an oasis for people to come together and find respite, hope, solace, and inspiration, especially in the current situation. That’s why reaching communities affected by conflict has become one of our core commitments.”
Looking ahead
As the Israel Museum embarks on its next chapter, Landau underscores the need to keep innovating while remaining rooted in the institution’s mission: preserving and celebrating culture. She recognizes that the future demands constant renewal, especially in a world of rapid technological, social, and political change.
“The past has shown us how crucial it is to stay ahead of the curve,” says Landau. “We must continue to embrace new mediums, new technologies, and new ways of thinking to ensure that the museum remains a vibrant part of cultural life, both in Israel and abroad. But we must also never lose sight of the foundational principles that have guided us for sixty years – the commitment to excellence, to preserving our collective heritage, and to offering a space where people can connect with art in a meaningful way.”
Landau envisions a future that balances tradition with innovation. She speaks passionately about creating a more inclusive experience, one that extends beyond the museum’s campus and engages with Israel’s many communities. For her, the museum must be a unifying force in a fractured world.
“Israel is a country of many narratives, and the Israel Museum has a unique opportunity to represent that multiplicity,” Landau says. “We can reflect the complexity of our society, creating exhibitions and programs that encourage dialogue between different cultures, ideologies, and viewpoints.”
A living institution
As part of its sixtieth-anniversary celebrations, the museum is planning a series of special initiatives and a day of free admission festivities on June 12 that will include music, performances, and talks inspired by the museum, specially created by Israeli creatives.
“We’re proud of our past,” Landau says, “but are just as invested in what lies ahead. The Israel Museum has always been a place of creativity and dialogue, and that spirit must remain at its core.” As the institution enters its seventh decade, it does so not only as a guardian of history but as a living space for ideas, attuned to the present, open to change, and committed to shaping the cultural conversations of tomorrow.
As Landau puts it, quietly but with conviction: “A museum must always move on.”