“Memories of Saint Saviour: convent, parish, museum”:
Exhibition from 6th June to 25th July
Following in the line of the exhibition “Minkom wa alaikom”, which was held in December 2022 at the Dar al Sabagh center in Bethlehem, the Terra Sancta Museum intends to highlight its Palestinian collections and its common history with the Old City of Jerusalem.
The Terra Sancta Museum
The Terra Sancta Museum is one of the cultural institutions of the Custody of the Holy Land, the Franciscans who have been entrusted with guarding the Holy Places for 800 years. The museum aims to exhibit the finds of the excavations by their school of archaeology and the treasures received locally and internationally to celebrate the significance of Jerusalem. The Terra Sancta Museum will allow residents, tourists and pilgrims from all over the world to discover, understand and sustain the Christian history and dimension of Jerusalem. It is also a space for preservation, restoration and training in cultural heritage challenges while offering various experiences to youth, students, interns and visitors from all countries and of all languages and religions.
The museum is divided into two sections: the archaeological section, including a multimedia part and the historical section. The former has been housed since 2015 in the complex of the Flagellation on the Via Dolorosa; the latter will open in 2026 in the religious complex of Saint Saviour, which has been the mother house of the Custody of the Holy Land since the 16th century.
From Saint Saviour’s convent to the old city
The new exhibition “Memories of Saint Saviour: convent, parish, museum” will reflect this close bond between the Franciscan friars and Jerusalem. This exhibition aims to retrace a part of the history which has been played out within the walls of the convent, in contact with the Arab- Christian world.
This three-part exhibition will address in turn: the former workshops of Saint Saviour, places of formation and dissemination of knowledge, the creation and development of the Latin parish of Jerusalem, and finally some Palestinian treasures that will be displayed in the future museum. Presented in both Arabic and English, the exhibition will comprise about thirty objects and fifteen explanatory panels enriched with archival photos. Visits in several languages will be offered throughout the exhibition with a particular emphasis on mediation towards the young Arabic-speaking public in partnership with the Pro Terra Sancta association, which has been entrusted with the museum’s educational activities.
This exhibition was made possible thanks to the support of AFD (Agence française de développement) and NDC (Ngo for Development Center) in the framework of the project “Action for East Jerusalem’s Identity and Resilience” in partnership with the Schools Office of the Custody of the Holy Land.
Practical information
“Memories of Saint Saviour: convent, parish, museum”
Curia of the Saint Saviour Monastery, New Gate 1 Jerusalem (Old City) From 6th June to 25th July 2023
Tours in Arabic will be offered every Monday from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Tours can also be offered in English, Italian, and French upon request.
Stay tuned on our social networks and website !
For an interview and a general presentation of the project: communication@terrasanctamuseum.org
Some articles about the Palestinian collections of the Terra Sancta Museum
An unsuspected treasure on the walls of St Saviour’s church Palestinian Craftsmanship on display in Bethlehem
Discovering the Palestinian icons of Jerusalem
