Site touring in Israel is usually related to ancient history. You usually end up at the same old but Beautiful places as Jerusalem, Mezada or Kfar Nahum.

Actual Israel is quit different, emphasizing the new spirit of a young country. Though not mentioned in your tour guide, one of the most flourishing areas is science, as the Weizmann institute in Rehovot is one of the leading science institutes in the world. This institute was found in 1934 by the first president of Israel, Dr. Haim Weizmann, who is buried there near his beautiful mansion.

 

  

Though it is possible to do the “traditional” tour, first to visit the “Weizmann institute’s visiting center“-where you can hear about when it all began and where science nowadays progress and then to visit the beautiful mansion (for that you should set the tour in advance), we recommend you to spare your time and first visit the wonderful “Clore Garden of Science “.

This garden is one of the few outdoor science museums in the world; some say the best of them. In this garden there are more than 80 interactive exhibits usually relating and emphasizing simple Physics laws. Probably some of you guys reading these lines have just close this article, I find many for whom the word Physics is very aversive, makes them go back to the worth class of highschool. Well, actually in the “Science Garden” you discover the law of nature in a really fun way, you don’t just read the signs or get explanation form the guide, you can actually play with the museum exhibits by your own..Best exhibits for me were: “Moon Walking”-you can experience walking or jumping in moon gravity; “Vocal Mirrors”- you can whisper to one mirror as someone in the other mirror located about 20 meters from you can hear you; “Solar furnace”- it focus sun rays to one point and burn a wooden stick within seconds (Ask the guides to open this exhibit; it is locked for safety). And there are a lot more……

I certainly recommend to take the garden guided tour, you can ask for them in English or Hebrew (the best way will be to call the garden before your arrival and ask them when the tours are and in which language).Guided tours may be more expensive on winter time, as usually in the summer there are guided tours for free. In any way, it is worth it, after the guide explains you the whole physic thing and shows you how to use the exhibits it becomes even more fun. If you don’t have the budget for that try to ask the guides at the office, they are usually nice and will be happy to explain you several things about the garden. Both kids (age of 5 and up) and adults can enjoy the tour and garden very much, and even more in summer time when there are special workshops for kids.

The only difficulty in this kind of outdoor facility is the Israeli summer heat, thus, the best way to avoid the heat will be to come in the after noon.

For more information, check out the “Clore Garden of Science” site