Description of the attraction
The Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum may be considered a tourist trap by many. Of course, this small museum is real. But a visit here for those who went on a free tour of Tel Aviv, organized by the Israel Diamond Center, ends with the same thing - an invitation to a jewelry store. A tourist who is not inclined to spend money will not be forced to buy jewelry, he just needs to refuse (or at least listen to the sellers) and wait until someone from the group chooses a product and pays. Someone always buys. For this, the whole trip is started.
However, if the tourist is aware of what awaits him in advance, he may even enjoy it. In any case, it makes sense to take a free sightseeing bus tour of Tel Aviv, even if not with a guide, but with an audio guide. And in the Diamond Museum, you can look at beautiful stones and learn interesting facts.
For centuries, diamond cutting has been one of the traditional Jewish crafts. In the Holy Land, this industry originated at the beginning of the 20th century, when craftsmen from Belgium and Holland decided to teach a profession to children who were left orphans after the Chisinau pogrom of 1903 and ended up in Palestine. In 1937, the first diamond factory was opened in the city of Petah Tikva. The diamond industry survived even in difficult times after World War II: the young Jewish state was very helpful to the industry that brought foreign currency.
Israel now exports $ 7 billion worth of cut diamonds every year and $ 4 billion worth of rough. The Israel Diamond Exchange, located in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv, is the largest in the world. The exchange occupies a complex of four multi-storey buildings, which houses the world's largest diamond trading hall, restaurants, banks, and many office premises. Founded in 1986, the Diamond Museum is also located here. The museum is named after Harry Oppenheimer, co-owner and head of the South African diamond corporation De Beers, who has done a lot for the development of the Israeli diamond industry.
Visitors are shown a video describing all the processes taking place with diamonds - from diamond mining to polishing, selling on the stock exchange and turning into jewelry. The museum halls are mysteriously darkened, only showcases with rough diamonds, diamonds and other precious stones are illuminated. Among them are copies of world famous diamonds, such as "Koh-i-noor", now in the crown of Queen Elizabeth, or "Taylor-Burton", donated by actor Richard Burton to his wife Elizabeth Taylor. Amazing accessories, on the verge of kitsch, look unusual - an hourglass with diamond grains of sand or a tennis ball, a mobile phone, a pistol with diamond inlay. Regular temporary exhibitions display either ancient jewelry or products by contemporary designers.
If a tourist wants to visit the museum but avoid shopping, ignore the free tour and just buy an entrance ticket.
