Routes and Rates
At the foot of Mount Carmel, there are two museums dedicated to the maritime history of the country – the National Maritime Museum and the Museum of Immigration and the Navy. Both museums present in an experiential way the world of seafarers, the history of navigation, the legacy of battles, as well as the many archaeological secrets of the sea.
The National Maritime Museum contains three display floors. On the bottom floor, there are permanent exhibitions on various topics – the world of pirates, artworks created by sailors in their leisure time, maritime mapping, and the history of Hebrew navigation.
On the entrance floor, we will encounter an area of changing exhibitions (at the time of writing this, ship models) and a large and impressive mosaic from the excavations of Tel Shikmona nearby. On the upper floor, there is an impressive collection of maritime navigation instruments as well as a wealth of archaeological finds from different periods and cultures – Phoenicians, Egyptians, Romans, Crusaders, and others. These findings include both maritime tools (notably a prized ram discovered in the sea near Atlit, as well as various stone anchors) and the “catch of the sea” – the cargo of ships that sank along the shores of Israel over many generations.
The museum hosts various activities for children and the whole family.
A short walk to the west leads to the Museum of Immigration and the Navy, which complements the maritime history. This museum combines a covered part, a display of vessels and weapon systems in the museum courtyard, and three ships that can be boarded and explored – the missile ship (Sa’ar) INS Mivtach, the submarine INS Gal, and the immigrant ship “Even If”. At the time of writing this, the museum is undergoing extensive renovations, and visits are only possible in the museum courtyard, on the missile ship, and in the submarine.
Difficulty level:
Very easy and suitable for the whole family. The National Maritime Museum is also accessible to those with mobility impairments. The Museum of Immigration and the Navy is currently undergoing renovations, and it is not accessible to those with mobility impairments (even in the future, boarding the ships included is not accessible).
Walking duration:
It is recommended to allocate about an hour to an hour and a half for each of the museums. The walking duration between them is about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace.
National Maritime Museum opening hours: (as of September 2015)
Weekdays: 10:00 – 16:00
Fridays: 10:00 – 13:00
Saturdays: 10:00 – 15:00
Contact phone: 04-8536622
Email: info@hms.org.il
Entrance prices for the National Maritime Museum
Adult – 30 NIS.
Children and youth (ages 5-18), police and soldiers, students (upon presentation of ID) – 20 NIS
Senior citizen (upon presentation of ID) – 15 NIS
Disabled (upon presentation of ID) – 24 NIS
Family entrance (couple + 2) – 80 NIS. Each additional child 10 NIS.
You can also purchase a combined entrance ticket for the other museums in Haifa, and groups can book a guided tour in Hebrew.
Museum of Immigration and the Navy
Entrance prices
Adult – 15 NIS.
Children and youth (ages 5-18), students, retirees – 10 NIS.
Despite this museum’s proximity to the National Maritime Museum, there is currently no combined entrance arrangement for both museums, and ticket purchases are made separately at each one.
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 08:30 – 16:00
The museum is closed on Fridays and Saturdays.
Contact phone: 04-8536249
Email: haapala_museum@mod.gov.il
Notes: The museum is undergoing partial renovations, it is recommended to call and coordinate your visit.
Directions:
For those coming from the eastern neighborhoods of Haifa and the northern area, it is recommended to arrive via the Carmel Tunnels. We will enter the tunnels at the Krayot interchange (or at the Neve Sha’anan interchange), and exit on the western side of Haifa.
Exit to the street of the Expelled of Spain, and turn left onto Moshe Fleiman Street. On Fleiman Street, we will turn right, continue straight at the first traffic light, and before the second traffic light, we will turn right onto Route 4 (Hagana Boulevard). On Hagana Boulevard, we will drive until the Allenby interchange, and turn right. At the first roundabout, we will turn back, the National Maritime Museum is adjacent to us. We will look for parking. If we do not find parking near the museums, we can cross the Allenby interchange bridge and park near the cable car in Bat Galim (about a ten-minute walk from the National Maritime Museum, five minutes’ walk from the Museum of Immigration and the Navy).
*The information is provided as a public service, the details mentioned in the article may change from time to time.