The Israel Museum is the largest cultural institution in the State of Israel and is located in the Givat Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem. Founded in 1965, it houses encyclopedic collections in the fields of archaeology, fine arts, Jewish art and life, and natural sciences, as well as a large collection of Judaica and Israeli art. The museum is home to the Dead Sea Scrolls, which include the oldest known biblical manuscripts in the world, as well as an extensive collection of modern and contemporary art.
The museum also houses an extensive library and study center, conservation laboratories, and a sculpture garden. A number of special exhibitions are held throughout the year, and the museum also hosts a variety of educational and cultural events. The Israel Museum also has a number of research initiatives, including the Dead Sea Scrolls Project, which seeks to preserve and study the scrolls. The museum also works in partnership with other institutions, both in Israel and abroad, to promote research and scholarship in Jewish and Israeli art and culture.