The Ben-Gurion House

Exploring Tel Aviv

Built between 1930 and 1931, Ben-Gurion House was once the home of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister. Today, the modest house in Tel Aviv is a historical museum and offers visitors a wonderful insight into the life of Ben-Gurion.



The Ben-Gurion House is set in a workers’ neighborhood at 17 Ben-Gurion Boulevard in northern Tel Aviv, the Ben-Gurion House was home to the pre-State Zionist leader and his family from June 1931 until 1953. When the family moved to a small residence in Kibbutz Sde-Boker in the Negev Desert, the house remained as an additional residence when Ben-Gurion visited Tel Aviv.


In This Photo: David Ben Gurion’s Desert Home in the Negev

The Ben-Gurion House was one of three residences used by the Prime Minister of Israel – the private house at Kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev, known as his ‘desert home,’ and his official government residence known as Julius Jacobs House in Rehavia, Jerusalem.

The Ben- Gurion House

Designed by engineer David Tuvia, the original house had just one floor and was later expanded to include the second floor in 1946. The house’s ground floor was home to Ben-Gurion’s second daughter’s room, which also served as a shelter and bedroom during the Suez Crisis (Mivtza’ Kadesh, ‘Operation Kadesh’).



The second floor housed the bedroom and bathroom of Ben-Gurion himself, as well as a four-room library. Today, the library holds Ben-Gurion’s collection of periodicals and over 20,000 books in various languages, including ancient Greek, Latin, and Russian.

One of the rooms in the library served as Ben-Gurion’s study room. Here he read, studied, and wrote in his diary. The room also had a phone directly connected to the Defense Ministry’s office.

Visiting the House

Before exploring the museum, visitors to the Ben-Gurion House can enjoy an audio-visual presentation that focuses on the background of Ben-Gurion’s life and the foundation of the state of Israel.



The best way to discover the house’s history is on a guided tour, where knowledgeable docents lead you through the home, sharing stories of Ben-Gurion’s character and life work as a leader. You can also listen to symposiums and explore many historical documents and memorabilia dating back to his time as prime minister.

Photographs of Ben-Gurion meeting famous figures such as Einstein, Kennedy, and Nixon are displayed on the ground floor. The former PM’s library is on the upper level, filled with thousands of books in various languages.

apt-stamp-white@2x
arik-about

Hi! My name is Arik Haglili, an Israeli native who decided to dedicate his life to share my knowledge about the Holy Land to those that are interested to know more about this amazing piece of land. My career as a private tour guide started at the International School For the Studying of the Holocaust and the rest is history.

Did you know the Hoopoe is Israel's national bird?! For more cool info about Israel, join our ever growing community and get exclusive travel tips, and giveaways!

Best Beaches in Tel Aviv

RELATED POSTS

Circassian Heritage Center

The Circassian Heritage Center is a museum and official Visitors Center in Kfar Kama that preserves the origins of the Circassians.

Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve

Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve is a park that has restored once locally extinct animals back into the region. For nature lovers, it's a must!

Mount Herzl

Mount Herzl is the site of Israel’s national cemetery and other memorial and educational facilities, found on the west side of Jerusalem beside the Jerusalem ...

Chapel of Saint Helena

The Chapel of Saint Helena is dedicated to Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, credited to discover the True Cross of Jesus.

Ammunition Hill Museum

Ammunition Hill is a memorial commemorating the Battle of Ammunition Hill. Now there is a nice museum and you can walk the actual trenches.

Weizmann House

The Weizmann House was built in 1936 as the private home of the first President of Israel, Chaim Weizmann, and first First Lady, Vera.

Tel Lachish

Tel Lachish is the site of an ancient Near Eastern city, now an archaeological site and an Israeli national park. Lachish is located in the ...

Amud Cave

Amud Cave is a limestone cave located in the Galilee region. The cave is renowned for its archaeological significance and its rich history

Caesarea Philippi

Caesarea Philippi was an ancient Roman city located at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon. Caesarea is an archaeological site in the Golan

Best Markets in Tel Aviv

Enjoy the best markets in Tel Aviv, like the Carmel Market. The top markets of Tel Aviv are the city's beating heart and a must-see ...

Need help?