National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel facts for kids
The Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel is a special building in Jerusalem. It is the main home for the Israel Antiquities Authority. This group is in charge of finding and protecting ancient treasures in Israel.
Work on the campus started in 2010, and building began in 2012. Before this, the Authority's offices were spread out in three different places in Jerusalem. This new campus brings all their important work into one big building. It is located on a large area of land, about 20,000 square meters, right between the Israel Museum and the Bible Lands Museum. A famous architect named Moshe Safdie designed this amazing place.
What's Inside the Campus?
The campus is a huge building, covering about 36,000 square meters. It has many different areas for archaeology. You can find offices here, along with special labs where scientists study ancient objects. There is also a large library filled with books about archaeology. Most excitingly, the campus also works as a museum. This means you can see many of the ancient artifacts that the Israel Antiquities Authority has found.
Building Design and Construction
Building the campus was a big project. Construction started in 2012. Workers had to dig a huge hole into the side of a hill. This clever design means that the main entrance on the roof level is at ground level, right between the two other museums. The lowest floor of the building opens onto a street at the bottom of the hill. Before this new campus, the Antiquities Authority worked in small spaces at the Rockefeller Museum.
Rooftop Mosaic Exhibition
The roof of the campus is a large open area. From here, you can see beautiful views of the Jerusalem hills. This rooftop area is open to everyone, even while the rest of the building's inside parts were being finished.
On the roof, you can see several important ancient mosaics. These are colorful pictures made from small pieces of stone or glass. They come from churches and synagogues built during the Byzantine period, which was a long time ago. One special mosaic is from a synagogue in Ein Gedi. It is from the 6th century and has a unique message written on it. This message is a curse in an old language called Judeo-Aramaic. It warns people not to neglect their family, cause trouble, steal, or spread rumors. It also mentions not revealing a "secret of the town," which might have been about Ein Gedi's famous balsam plant industry.
