Dozens of cultural institutions and heritage sites across Israel will open their doors free of charge throughout May, offering public access to museums and parks after the Roaring Lion war forced cancellation of the initiative during Passover. The renewed program aims to support cultural institutions and the local tourism sector, which were affected during the conflict, especially in the northern and southern regions.
Bank Hapoalim's long-standing cultural project is returning in a renewed format under the name Poalim Israeli after being canceled this year due to the war. The bank said the decision to proceed despite the earlier cancellation stems from a desire to continue supporting cultural institutions and the tourism sector hit hardest by the conflict.
Access and Participation Details
Throughout May, 54 sites from north to south will participate over three weekends: May 8-9, May 15-16 and May 29-30, excluding the Shavuot holiday. Entry will be available on Fridays and Saturdays, subject to advance registration. Sites taking part include the Israel Museum, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, ANU - Museum of the Jewish People, Timna Park, the Jerusalem Walls Promenade and LUNADA - the Children's Museum.
Nature sites operated by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority will also participate, including Nimrod Fortress National Park and Susita National Park, along with regional museums and heritage sites across the country. Entry to all sites is subject to advance registration via the project's website and will be carried out in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines.
Supporting Conflict-Affected Communities
For the first time, small businesses in the south are included through a collaboration with the tourism association of the Shikma-Besor region, including agricultural farms, visitor centers and experiential workshops. The expansion represents an effort to direct public support toward communities that bore disproportionate economic impacts during the conflict.
The project has been running for about two decades and is described as one of the most prominent cultural and leisure initiatives in Israel, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The program's return after wartime cancellation reflects both institutional resilience and recognition that cultural access serves communities recovering from conflict.
The article is by Meital Sharabi/Maariv and was published May 8, 2026 at 15:00.
Why This Matters:
The restoration of free cultural access after wartime cancellation addresses multiple public needs simultaneously: it provides families with affordable leisure opportunities during economic strain following conflict, supports cultural institutions facing revenue losses, and directs visitors toward tourism-dependent communities in border regions that experienced the most severe disruption. The inclusion of southern small businesses for the first time recognizes that conflict's economic toll falls unevenly, with peripheral communities bearing disproportionate costs. By removing financial barriers to cultural participation during recovery, the initiative acknowledges that access to heritage and education should not depend on ability to pay, particularly when families face post-conflict economic pressures. The program demonstrates how corporate-supported cultural access can function as both social infrastructure and targeted economic relief for affected regions.