Motor House, Kvutzat Kinneret, Heritage museum in Kvutzat Kinneret, Israel
Motor House is a museum building in Kvutzat Kinneret that showcases the history of early water management and agricultural innovation. The building houses original pumping equipment and systems that show how water was extracted and distributed to the dry fields of the region.
The building was constructed in 1910 and served as the first modern pumping station for irrigation in the area. This installation marked a turning point in the region's agriculture and made it possible to use water from the Jordan River for large-scale farming.
Yemenite Jews from Kinneret lived in the Motor House and adjacent mud-brick structures for 18 consecutive years, from 1912 until 1929, when they were moved to Kfar Marmorek near Rehovot. Many fell ill with malaria. In July 2025 the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel unveiled a plaque here commemorating them.
The museum sits near the southwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee and is easily reached by car from surrounding towns. Before visiting, check current opening times as the site's access can vary seasonally.
The pump on display is a replica powered by electricity, not the original gas-driven Corting engine. The original pump ran until 1928, when the area received electricity. The building was restored in 1988 on the initiative of Aharon Israeli of Kvutzat Kinneret, and the museum opened in 1994.
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