Permanent Exhibition

"The city’s name combines opposites, just like the exhibition that narrates its story. The name “Tel Aviv-Yafo” designates the 1950 union of two very different cities. Yafo, an ancient port city with a history dating back thousands of years, was governed by the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. Established in 1909, Tel Aviv gradually developed from one of Yafo’s neighborhoods into a separate, independent city. In 1948, Yafo was captured and subsequently annexed to Tel Aviv. The name Tel Aviv was coined by Nahum Sokolow, who translated Theodor Herzl’s book, Altneuland (literally, “old, new land”). The founders of the neighborhood chose to name it after the book. Tel (mound) represents the past and the heritage, while Aviv (spring) symbolizes new beginnings and flourishing. And so, the first Hebrew city was named after a Zionist book whose motto – “If you will it, it is no dream” – continues to guide the city. Oppositions and tensions remain rife: between the past and the present; its ties to Eretz Israel and the Middle East as opposed to its international aspirations; its culture and humanities vs its economic drive; the balancing act between business and pleasure; the coexistence of the sacred and the profane; and the juxtaposition of nature and urbanity. There are countless ways in which the city is perceived by its admirers and critics, and each era gives rise to different tags, declarations of love, and harsh criticism. Some people describe the city as “detached,” while others see it as the embodiment of new Zionism and the best aspect of Israel. Many people claim that Tel Aviv-Yafo, with its hyphen, is actually the most vibrant, inclusive city imaginable. A city that is home to everyone, encompassing all races, genders, religions, and nationalities; the most liberal and pluralistic city in Israel. Like every city, this one too, belongs first and foremost to its residents. The residents of Tel Aviv-Yafo are invited to visit the City Museum Tel Aviv Yafo, explore its past, impact its future, reveal its miseries and the powers and beauty of this one-of-a-kind city.
The interactive exhibition is displayed on two floors.

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Chief curator: Keren Oz; Spirit and Matter curator: Tom Kohen

Historical consultation: Prof. Emerita Irit Amit Cohen, Prof. Daniel Montrescu, Prof. Maoz Azarihu, Prof. Emeritus Gideon Biger, Dr. Yaron Belslav, Prof. Arch. Amnon Bar Or 
Research: Galit Shaul, Hamdat Salai, Shulamit Vidrich, Sharon Aldame, Michal Minsky, Nega Mashal