Exhibitions

This exhibition presents emblematic figures of gods, goddesses, heroes, and mythical marine creatures from ancient times to the modern era. Maritime trade and seafaring have played a crucial role in shaping cultural exchanges, through which sea-related beliefs and myths evolved and transformed. The vastness of the sea has been an endless source of human imagination - from the mighty gods of the ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans, through the protective saints of Christianity, to the superheroes of the modern age.

The model ships in this display reflect a dramatic and stormy chapter in Jewish marine history during the years before the establishment of the State, and the first few years after its establishment. They demonstrate the progression from sailing ships to modern, motorized ships, and narrate the story of the development of Hebrew seafaring from private and civilian initiatives up to the national projects of Ha’apala, Aliya, and the establishment of an Israeli merchant fleet.

Israel’s location along trade routes connecting three continents - Asia, Africa, and Europe - has given its ports historical significance. Until the early twentieth century, the ports of Jaffa and Acre were the country’s main ports, serving as gateways for passengers and cargo. These ports developed over thousands of years as organic parts of their cities, similar to other historical ports along the Mediterranean.

The Fish Mound (Tell HaDagim), located at the shore in Haifa, is an extraordinary time capsule. Findings from the site open a window into Haifa's ancient past, when, like today, it was a center of trade and industry.