Jerusalem Botanical Gardens expands with new $3.8 million art gallery, sculpture trail

The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens is launching a $3.8 million art gallery and sculpture trail, scheduled to open to the public in January 2027.

The botanical garden is one of the largest of its kind in the Middle East, covering 37 acres with over 7,400 plant species from around the world.

The new William Davidson Gallery, which covers 2,700 square feet, is designed to bring art and nature together. Its inaugural exhibition will feature Israeli ceramic artist Zemer Peled, known for assembling thousands of porcelain fragments into organic forms resembling natural flowers.

Architect Matti Rosenshine designed the gallery building with large glass panels to integrate it into the garden's landscape. "The idea was to create the impression of a layer of earth gently lifting upward to form a space beneath it, with a terrace above overlooking the Gardens," Rosenshine told Ynet News.

Hannah Rendell, executive director of the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, said, "Our plant collections hold extraordinary stories, and art can help people connect with them in new ways." She said the botanical gardens inspire curiosity about plants and deepen understanding of the natural world.

Darin McKeever, president and CEO of the William Davidson Foundation, said the new gallery would add to Jerusalem’s cultural offerings.

"Jerusalem is a city where history, culture, and innovation intersect," McKeever said. The gallery will "add an important new cultural destination to the city, creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds to engage with art while developing a deeper appreciation for the environment and the remarkable biodiversity represented within the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens," he added.

Dr. Ori Fragman-Sapir, scientific director of the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, said the gallery would create new opportunities for collaboration between scientists, artists and curators, building existing efforts to share knowledge and conserve rare plants.

Eli Becker, who heads the Gardens' landscape planning, said the new gallery would encourage visitors to explore the grounds more attentively.

"Art encourages people to pause, look closely and notice details they might otherwise pass by," Becker said. "Integrating sculpture into a walking route through nature offers another way to reveal the richness of the botanical collections we grow and cultivate."

"The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens has undergone significant development in recent years, increasingly becoming an impressive gateway to the capital and a leading botanical and cultural destination in Israel," said CEO Tom Amit.