Bank Hapoalim will open 54 museums, parks, heritage sites, and tourist attractions across Israel free of charge over three weekends in May, according to a press release from the bank.
The initiative, called “Poalim Israeli,” comes after the bank’s long-running Passover project did not take place in its traditional format following Operation Roaring Lion.
The sites will be open on May 8-9, May 15-16, and May 29-30, excluding the Shavuot holiday weekend. Entry to all sites, activities, and attractions will require advance registration, the bank said.
The project is intended to provide Israeli families with free cultural and educational activities while supporting museums, heritage sites, nature parks, and tourism businesses affected by the Swords of Iron and Operation Roaring Lion wars. Bank Hapoalim said special emphasis will be placed on sites in northern and southern Israel.
The initiative is a revised version of the “Poalim for Culture, Beauty and Nature in Israel” project, which was held for 20 consecutive years during Passover with the support of Bank Hapoalim.
The bank said many participating sites will extend their Friday opening hours during the month to accommodate families.
Among the participating attractions are Nimrod Fortress National Park, Susita National Park, Technoda Hadera, the Petah Tikva Museum of Art, and “My First Museum,” Ramla Museum, Ashdod Museum of Art, and Neot Semadar in the Arava, which was selected for the UN Tourism Best Tourism Villages list.
Attractions from north to south
The list also includes institutions that have traditionally taken part in the annual initiative, such as the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Lunada Children’s Museum in Beersheba, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, ANU Museum of the Jewish People, Timna Park, the Jerusalem Ramparts Walk, the Yaacov Agam Museum in Rishon Lezion, and Planetanya Science and Space Center.
Additional participating sites include the new Katzrin Park, Ben-Gurion’s Hut, the Nahariya Zoological Garden, the Mishkan Museum of Art in Ein Harod, the Janco-Dada art Museum, the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem, the Ramat Gan Museum, the Hasmonean Heritage Museum in Modi’in, and Haifa Museums, including the Haifa Museum of Art, the National Maritime Museum, and the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art.
Southern tourism businesses included
The initiative will also include free entry to attractions and activities run by small tourism businesses in southern Israel, in cooperation with the Shikma-Besor Tourism Association.
These include Havat Hadkalim, Ron Art Judaica glassblowing workshops in Moshav Ma’agalim, Kibbutz Hatzerim Visitor Center, the Tzon Barzel Heritage Museum in Kibbutz Tze’elim, the “Salad Trail” in Moshav Talmei Yosef, and the Ruchama Heritage Site.
Bank Hapoalim said the project reflects its broader community investment and aims to strengthen public access to Israel’s culture, landscapes, and heritage. Accessibility information for participating sites will be provided through Access Israel, and visitors will also be able to explore a mobile experiential center focused on the daily experiences of people with disabilities.
All sites will operate in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines, the bank said. Entry to all participating sites, activities, and attractions requires advance registration.
