In 1906, Boris Schatz came to Israel and decided Israeli artists had far too much talent for the region to be known for producing solely traditional Judaica. He founded the Bezalel Academy of Art & Design, (with his infamous pet peacock following closely behind him), and in doing so, firmly established the importance of art and culture in modern-day Israel.

The Israeli art scene is booming. In Jerusalem, the Israel Museum is the largest cultural institution in the country and is among the world’s leading art and archaeology museums. Founded in 1965, the museum houses works dating from prehistory to the present day, and features the most extensive holdings of biblical archaeology in the world. Tour favorites include the painstakingly accurate miniature Jerusalem model and the Dead Sea Scrolls tucked below its iconic white dome.

The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is a world-class museum, one of Israel's leading artistic and cultural institutions, boasting an impressive permanent collection, and under its masterful curatorial leadership, compelling changing exhibitions.

The Design Museum in Holon opened in March 2010 and has quickly established itself as one of the world's leading museums of design and contemporary culture. Israel’s prolific art schools are hotbeds for talent, feeding the creative ecosystem from the ground up.

For a look at the country’s freshest work, meet up-and-coming artists face-to-face on a private gallery tour in Neve Tzedek, or meander the cobblestones on an alternative street art tour in Florentin. Visit the Nachalat Binyamin Market to shop local crafts and artisanal wares - straight from the makers themselves.