The Hecht Museum, located on the grounds of the University of Haifa.

© Elena Rostunova/Shutterstock

Hecht Museum

Top choice in Haifa


This university campus museum showcases engrossing archaeological finds such as well-restored mosaics and troves of ancient coins, but the pièce de résistance is the Ma'agan Mikhael Shipwreck, a 2400-year-old merchant vessel unearthed in 1985. Originally 12.5m long, the ship would have hauled 15 tons of cargo and has a rare one-armed wooden anchor.

Elsewhere, the art wing assembles mostly Impressionist and post-Impressionist works (part of founder Dr Reuben Hecht's own collection), including works by luminaries like Van Gogh and Modigliani.

The Oscar Ghez Collection is a poignant display of the works by 18 Paris-based artists who perished in the Holocaust. Meanwhile, temporary art exhibitions place the spotlight on young artists, portraiture, Israeli art colonies and a host of other themes.

The Hecht Museum is beneath the Eshkol Tower; follow signs to the building's lower floor and then continue along the corridor until you see amphorae.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Haifa attractions

1. Eshkol Tower

A lift shudders its way up to the 30th-floor observation area of Eshkol Tower, the brazen high-rise topping Haifa University. Designed by renowned…

2. Gan Ha’Em

3.46 MILES

Sculpted on the crest of Mt Carmel in 1913, this shady, kid-friendly public garden – whose name means 'Mother’s Park' – has a zoo, a playground and an…

3. Istiqlal Mosque

3.48 MILES

Haifa's largest mosque, built in 1926, is open only to worshippers. For shoppers and travellers, it serves as a landmark signalling the start of the…

4. Zoo

3.51 MILES

The shaded slopes below Gan Ha'Em are home to a compact zoo with free-roaming peacocks, an aviary, a reptile house and habitats for monkeys, meerkats,…

5. MadaTech

3.51 MILES

Kid-friendly science exhibits fill this elegant 1912 building, including hands-on displays in the astronomy rooms, optical illusions and a hall of mirrors…

6. Mané–Katz Museum

3.56 MILES

Ukraine-born artist Emmanuel Mané-Katz (1894–1962) was an influential member of the early-20th-century School of Paris and is best known for his colourful…

7. Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art

3.66 MILES

Founded in 1959 by art collector Felix Tikotin, this small, low-lit gallery immerses visitors in the sensory qualities of Japanese art. A visit here is…

8. Louis Promenade

3.72 MILES

A 15-minute walking path running parallel to Yefe Nof St, Louis Promenade offers lofty views over Haifa Bay and connects to other trails that thread their…