The Biblical Museum of Natural History

The Biblical Museum of Natural History A hands-on museum of Torah and natural history for visitors of all ages!

The Biblical Museum of Natural History is a unique institution that is part zoo, part natural history museum, and part Jewish education center. It showcases the mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects of Scripture, as well as related zoological topics from the Talmud. The large species are exhibited as taxidermy specimens, while live exhibits are maintained for smaller species, and there

are also a large number of biological artifacts of religious significance. Through the exhibits, visitors learn how to identify the animals of Scripture, the symbolism of animals in Scripture and Midrash, lessons in Jewish values, law and history, and the natural history of the Land of Israel. "The Biblical Museum of Natural History connected us both to Nature and to Tanach (and Chazal) in ways our modern lives often don't allow. The tour also reminds us of the rich wildlife that used to roam Israel-- even as we celebrate the country's renewal and resettlement, a museum like this reminds us of a lost world, in which daily life could involve encounters with lions, bears, jackals, leopards, and more. It's Torah, it's Nature, it's an enjoyable, informative, and illuminating experience for family members of all ages!" - Rabbi Gidon Rothstein


מוזיאון הטבע התנ"כי הינו מוסד ייחודי שהוא בחלקו גן חיות, חלקו מוזיאון טבע, וגם מרכז חינוכי ייחודי. המוזיאון מציג את היונקים, ציפורים, זוחלים, דו-חיים, וחרקים המופיעים בתנ"ך, וכן את הנושאים הזואולוגיים המקבילים מן התלמוד. בעלי חיים גדולים מוצגים כפוחלצים, ובעלי חיים קטנים יותר מוצגים חיים. כמו כן ישנם גם ממצאים מן החי בעלי משמעות דתית. דרך המוצגים, לומדים המבקרים לזהות את חיות התנ"ך, הסמליות שבחיות התנ"ך והמדרש, תובנות בערכים, משפט והיסטוריה יהודיים- וכן בהיסטוריית הטבע של ארץ ישראל. מוזיאון הטבע התנ"כי מקבל מבקרים בתיאום מראש. סיור מודרך בין המוצגים תהיה חוויה נפלאה ומעניינת!

“And you have seen their detestable and dung idols, of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them.” (Deut...
04/09/2026

“And you have seen their detestable and dung idols, of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them.” (Deuteronomy 29:16)
The is a curious reference to Egyptian idols in this week’s Torah reading, Nitzavim, in which they are described with the term “dung.” This is usually thought of as being simply a derogatory term, but there may be more to it than that. It may refer to the sacred scarab, a type of dung beetle, which rolls away balls of animal dung and lays its eggs inside them. In ancient Egypt, sacred scarabs were worshiped as a manifestation of the Sun-god. Thus, the verse may be referring to the Egyptians literally worshipping dung idols!
"וַתִּרְאוּ אֶת־שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם וְאֵת גִּלֻּלֵיהֶם עֵץ וָאֶבֶן כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב אֲשֶׁר עִמָּהֶם:" (דברים כט:טז)
Shabbat Shalom!

🎨 Sukkot Kids Zone: Nature Crafts at the Museum! If your kids love getting creative and handlinganimals, this one's for ...
03/09/2026

🎨 Sukkot Kids Zone: Nature Crafts at the Museum!
If your kids love getting creative and handlinganimals, this one's for them! Join us for a fun afternoon of hands-on sukkah decorating and get to meet all your favorite animals at the Biblical Museum of Natural History.
Date: September 15th
Time: 16:00–17:15
Registration: Click the link below to sign up!👇
https://biblicalnaturalhistory.smarticket.co.il/en/Kids_Zone

Back by Popular Demand! 🦎🐇After an incredible year, we're excited to open registration once again for our Animal & Natur...
02/09/2026

Back by Popular Demand! 🦎🐇

After an incredible year, we're excited to open registration once again for our Animal & Nature Chug!

This isn't your average after-school program.

Each week, children get hands-on with amazing animals, explore the natural world, and learn to think like real zoologists. From fluffy bunnies to scaly reptiles, they'll discover animal habitats, behaviours, diets, and so much more.

Along the way, they'll build confidence, develop leadership skills, and create unforgettable memories with animals they won't meet anywhere else.
Limited spots available.

Ages 6-8 Sundays 17:00
Ages 9-14 Mondays 17:00

Starting dates of Chug:
Ages 6-8 - Sundays 11th October
Ages 9-13 - Monday 12th October

Comment "chug" and we will send you a sign up link!

What’s under all that wrapping??? Wrong answers only!
01/09/2026

What’s under all that wrapping??? Wrong answers only!

Hoppy first day of school and good luck to all the students! 🐸🦎Give us your best caption for these photos! ...
01/09/2026

Hoppy first day of school and good luck to all the students! 🐸🦎
Give us your best caption for these photos!

31/08/2026

mmm raisins🐔

30/08/2026

"May we be fruitfull and multiply like fish"
Shana Tova!

In the Haftora (supplementary reading from Prophets) that accompanies this week’s Torah portion, the miraculous return o...
28/08/2026

In the Haftora (supplementary reading from Prophets) that accompanies this week’s Torah portion, the miraculous return of the Jewish People to their homeland is given metaphors from the natural world:
מִי־אֵלֶּה כָּעָב תְּעוּפֶינָה וְכַיּוֹנִים אֶל־אֲרֻבֹּתֵיהֶם׃ (ישעיה ס:ח)
“Who are these that float like a cloud, like doves to their cotes?” (Isaiah 60:8)
The ability of rock doves (known in their domesticated form as pigeons) to return to their cotes is itself near-miraculous. A trained dove, released many hundreds of miles from its home, will find its way back. This extraordinary feat requires not only knowing where their home is, but also knowing where it is in relation to where they are now. It is not clear how they do this, but it seems to involve processing a combination of cues from the earth’s magnetic field, the position of the sun, infrasound, and the spatial distribution of atmospheric odors.
Photo: "Spy pigeons" c. 1908, avian predecessors to modern drones.

“If you happen upon a bird's nest along the road, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs, and the mother is crouching over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the mother together with the young. Send away the mother, and take the young for yourself, in order that it may be good for you, and your days shall be lengthened.” (Deuteronomy 22:6-7)
For many centuries there have been deep divisions between the rationalist and mystical schools of thought in Judaism, and this mitzvah exemplifies the differences between them. According to the rationalist school of thought, the mitzvah of shiluach hakein is all about compassion; one may not take both mother and young, and when taking the young, one sends away the mother so she does not suffer the trauma of witnessing it. Thus, the entire mitzvah is only relevant if one actually wants the eggs (which historically would generally have been the case); if one doesn’t want the eggs, it would be needlessly cruel to send away the mother bird. According to the mystical school of thought, on the other hand, the mitzvah is not about compassion but rather about setting various supernatural forces into motion; accordingly, one sends away the mother bird even if one does not actually want the eggs. For extensive discussion, see Rationalism vs. Mysticism: Schisms in Traditional Jewish Thought by museum director Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin, available on the museum website (with free shipping in the US).

If you've ever visited the museum, met one of our amazing animals, or discovered the Bible in a whole new way, we'd love...
27/08/2026

If you've ever visited the museum, met one of our amazing animals, or discovered the Bible in a whole new way, we'd love to stay connected.
Because a museum needs more than visitors.
It needs Friends.
❤️ Learn more: https://www.biblicalnaturalhistory.org/friends

Address

Corner Hoshen And Topaz
Bet Shemesh
9906118

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 12:00
Sunday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

073‑213‑1662

Website

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