The Eternal Quest

As an introduction to the renewed Bronfman Archaeology Wing, this exhibition in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem illuminates the connection between the artifacts on display in the Wing and the history of the professional discipline of archaeological field work in modern Israel, from 19th-century tomb raiders to modern-day excavations. Bringing archaeology to life through the individual stories of Flinders Petrie, Felicien de Saulcy, and Conrad Schick – three representative figures in the founding history of Middle Eastern archaeological exploration in the 19th century – the exhibition introduces viewers to their pioneering work in the field, as well as to the activities of the Palestine Exploration Fund. Excavation tools, archaeological findings, photographs, and drawings are among the objects in the exhibition