Discover Be'ersheva – including Abraham's Well International Visitors' Center, Lanuda Children's Museum, Carasso Science Park, Be'ersheva River Park, and the Old City
Beersheba is located on the northern edge of the Negev desert and is often regarded as the “Capital of the Negev.” It is not high on the tourist path, but it should be. Worthwhile places to visit with the family include the Lunada Children’s Museum, which is a children’s museum of international caliber, Abraham’s Well International Visitors’ Center. which brings alive this forefather of the Jewish people, and the incredible Midbarium Desert Animal Park. Plus, Tel Beer Sheva National Park is only a few km from the city center and is a UNESCO world heritage site. All these places, plus others, are reviewed on this website.
Beersheba is one of the fastest-growing cities in Israel and is its eighth most populous city. It is home to the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Seroka Medical Center and has developed a reputation for high-tech.
Beersheba has a rich history due to its location along ancient trade routes and was an important hub for trade and commerce. Human settlement dates from the Chalcolithic period between 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. Tel Be’er Sheva, now an archeological site some 4 Km from the modern city, was the town of Beersheba during the Israelite monarchal period.
Beersheba is mentioned in the Bible as being associated with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It lost its importance during the Muslim period. However, during the Ottoman period it served as an administrative center for the Bedouin and had a military garrison. Until World War I it was a mainly Arab city. It was allocated to the Arabs by the United Nations Partition Plan, but was conquered by the IDF. Following Israel’s War of Independence, the city experienced a population boom and thousands of Jewish immigrants moved here, many of whom had been displaced from Arab countries.
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Abraham’s Well International Visitors' Center
This center is the only place in Israel dedicated solely to the story of Abraham. This almost 4,000-year-old story is an important one for Judaism, since among other things it provides the justification for the creation of a Jewish state in this part of the world. Abraham is also recognized as the spiritual forefather of the three great monotheistic faiths – Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
The focus of this center are two wells and a tamarisk tree. The larger well is considered to be a well that Abraham dug. The two wells are located outside the main building but within the center. The building was erected in 2014, its design being inspired by Abraham’s desert tent. It is located by a bridge that crosses Nahal Be’er Sheva and is on the edge of the old city of Beersheba.
The story about this well is told in the book of Genesis. The servants of Abimelech, the king of Gerar, had taken over a well that Abraham had dug:
Then Abraham reproached Abimelech for the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized. But Abimelech said, “I do not know who did this; you did not tell me, nor have I heard of it until today.” Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a pact. Abraham then set seven ewes of the flock by themselves, and Abimelech said to Abraham, “What mean these seven ewes which you have set apart?” He replied, “You are to accept these seven ewes from me as proof that I dug this well.” Hence that place was called Beer-sheba, for there the two of them swore an oath. When they had concluded the pact at Beer-sheba, Abimelech and Phicol, chief of his troops, departed and returned to the land of the Philistines (Genesis 21:25-32).
Sheva has the meaning in Hebrew of either an oath or seven, both words having the same three root letters. Hence, Beersheva could mean the “well of the oath” or “the well of the seven (ewes)’ or perhaps even both.
The well was described by Claude Reigner Conder, an English soldier and explorer, in 1838. He noted that the larger of the two circular wells was stoned up very neatly with solid masonry and was 44½ feet deep, the bottom 16 feet of which was excavated into solid rock. The water at the bottom was pure and sweet.
The tour arranged by the center is about ¾ hour. First is a short talk about Abraham and a review of a map of Abraham’s journey from Ur of the Chaldees. You then enter a walkway with a very impressive audiovisual presentation of biblical verses and scenes of the desert area. This leads to the second floor for a 3D presentation of the main highlights of Abraham’s life. The movie ends with an overlook of the wells and tamarisk tree. One then goes outside. For the kids there is a small well from which they can draw water. There is also a walkway with photos about the historical development of Beersheba.
Directions: The address is Derekh Hebron 2. Enter “Abraham’s Well Visitor Center” into Waze. There is free parking in the parking lot outside the building. Their phone number is 08 623-4613.
Admission: Museum hours are Sunday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visits need to be with a prearranged tour (without a tour all you can do is look at the well and tamarisk tree). You choose your language. Other times can be accommodated for groups, including on Friday and Saturday. Admission is 34 NIS for adults and 25 NIS for children and seniors. The phone number is 08 623-4613. This is their website
Did Abraham really dig this well?
One might well ask - what is the likelihood that Abraham dug this particular well? Abraham certainly lived in this area. Plus, there are many wells in the Beersheba Valley, as there is a large aquifer. However, there is an Arab tradition of this being Abraham’s well and it is called in Arabic "Bir Al-Saba,” which means well of the morning or well of the dawn. However, a discoverer in the late 19th century found that the masonry around this well is not particularly old. Inside the well is an inscription in Arabic dated to 505 AH or the twelfth century CE. The masonry of this well can therefore be dated to this time. Nevertheless, this does not negate the possibility of a redo of a considerably more ancient well. However, there is no other archeological evidence dating this well to any specific period. So, we will never know.
Abraham did plant a grove of tamarisk trees in Beersheba (Genesis 21:33), but this is not one of them. This is more in the way of a representation of the activities of Abraham. The trees he planted would have stood out in an area which otherwise had a paucity of trees, and this would attracted the attention of travelers. Why was Abraham so interested in travelers? This relates to his mission as a forefather of Judaism.
The greatness of Abraham is often considered to be his discovery of the One God, and thus being the originator of Judaism and then Islam and Christianity. This is only partially true. The Bible itself makes clear that there were other monotheists at the time of Abraham, such as Malchizedek, the king of Salem, (although he may have been a disciple of Abraham).
What distinguished Abraham and differentiated him from say the monotheist Noah was his promoting the knowledge of God. This is why he planted a grove of tamarisk trees. He went out of his way to be hospitable to guests, since this allowed him to discuss with them about the One God. This is also why he relocated to Beersheba, since it was located at the convergence of well-travelled desert routes.
Equally important as his monotheism was his discovery of Jewish ethics, namely justice, righteousness and the way of God (Genesis 18:19). Just as God is righteous and just, so we should endeavor to imitate Him. This is called in Latin “Imitatio Dei” and is the basis of Jewish and Christian ethics (but not Islamic ethics). These matters are not discussed in this museum.
See also the essay "Where was Abraham's well?" on our webpage "Tel Sheva or Tel Be'er Sheva"
Lunada Children’s Museum
The Lunada Children’s Museum is an incredible place, equal to the best of children’s museums anywhere in the world. It has three floors with over 50 play activities, plus outdoor areas, all of which will keep children occupied for many hours. There is also a project workshop. All activities are explained in Hebrew, English and Arabic.
A snack bar sells hot and cold drinks, snacks, ice cream and pizza. There is indoor and lots of outdoor seating with picnic benches.
Directions: Enter “Lunada” into Waze and click on “לונדע, מוזיאון עולם הילד, 25 דוד הראובני, באר שבע.“
Admission:The museum is open Sunday to Thursday and Saturday 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. It is closed on Friday. The box office closes about an hour before the museum closes. Admission for those 2 year and above is 57 NIS, residents of Beersheba 42 NIS, students (with a valid student card) 46 NIS, and senior residents 37 NIS. Their phone number is 08 623-4613. This is a website:
Public transport: Enter “Lunada” into Moovit and click on David ha-Re’uveni Street, Be’er Sheva.”
Carasso Science Park
Carasso Science Park is Israel's largest and most modern science museum. It was established in 2013, spans 17 dunams (approximately 4.2 acres), and offers a variety of interactive exhibits designed to engage visitors of all ages in scientific exploration.
The park features ten fully interactive exhibitions, a scientific children's playground, a beautiful water-jet fountain that you can control, a 3D printing lab, and a special toddlers’ area. A notable exhibition is the "A Glance at the Universe – the James Webb Space Telescope," which offers a fascinating review of the development of space observation, from early research to the advanced capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope. Other exhibits include light and sound, genetics, communication, microelectronics, and nuclear energy.
On the other hand, the exhibits are not dumbed down and the information imparted is very sophisticated. Even for an adult to read all the material in an exhibit can take considerable time.
Many school children from across the southern region arrive every year at the educational center, with the targeting of mainly elementary and junior high school students. The center tailors programming for each group to complement the school curriculum.
Directions: Enter “Carasso Science Park” into Waze. There is a parking lot outside the museum with blue and white parking.
Admission: The museum is open Sunday to Wednesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday closed and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Their telephone number is 08-625 2600. This is their website.
Public transport: Enter “Carasso Science Park” into Waze. There is a parking lot outside the museum with blue and white parking.
Walk along Be’ersheva River Park
It is possible to walk above the bank of the Be’ersheva River in the Be’ersheva River Park.
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A good place to start is by the Pipes Bridge. The Imber Promenade starts from here. It is a I-km promenade that provides nice views over the stream. When you come to the main road, Naphtali Herz Imber Avenue, turn back.
The Pipes Bridge crosses the riverbed channel and conducts potable water from the Mekorot Water Co to the city of Beersheba. It is used by pedestrians and bicycles. At night there is colorful lighting on the bridge.
At this point you can either walk under the bridge to the Abraham’s Well Visitor Center or cross over the Pipes Bridge to Bell Park. There are picnic benches and r est rooms here.
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From this park, you can continue along the bank of the river to the Turkish Bridge.
This bridge was built during the Ottoman period in the early 20th century during the First World War and is considered an historic symbol of the city.
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From here you can continue on the Be’ersheva Ring Trail. You will pass green public areas, playgrounds, an amphitheater, Sporteque, and a man-made lake.
The Imber Promenade
The Pipes Bridge
The Imber Promenade
The Turkish Bridge
The Old City
The Old City was built over 100 years ago during the Ottoman period. In recent years the municipality has developed a multi-year plan for its development and renovation. The intention is that it will become a focus for recreation, entertainment and culture.
Keren Kayemet Pedestrian Mall was the main street during the Ottoman period. At 20 meter wide it was built to be the widest street in the Old City. It continues to function as an important street for commerce. On Friday it hosts an open-air street market.
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Keren Kayemet St in the heart of the Old City