Jerusalem’s redesigned Tower of David museum opens after 3-year renovation

By ILAN BEN ZION
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Jerusalem’s iconic citadel has opened its revamped museum after a three-year, $50 million makeover that included a restoration of its signature minaret. The museum launched its overhaul in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, when foreign tourists could not enter Israel and visitor numbers plummeted. The tower, an ancient fortress on the western edge of the Old City, contains remnants of successive fortifications built one atop the other dating back over two millennia. Today, the former castle serves as a museum dedicated to the city’s 3,000-year history. It is a daunting task, and in a city of dueling narratives, the museum veers toward the Israeli perspective.