Beyt ha-Gdudim Museum, Military museum in Avihayil, Israel.
Beyt ha-Gdudim Museum in Moshav Avihayil, north of Netanya, is run by the Museums Unit of the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Cannons used by Jewish Brigade soldiers stand in front of the building. Inside are photographs, original documents, uniforms, and a model of a soldier and mule of the Zion Mule Corps at Gallipoli. The main hall, built like a synagogue, holds albums arranged chronologically by battalion, each page devoted to one member.
The museum was founded in 1961 by veterans of the Jewish Legions who fought with the British Army in World War I, on land donated by Moshav Avihayil, a settlement they had established. The cornerstone was laid in 1958, and the opening ceremony on 15 May 1961 was attended by President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, both former Legion volunteers. In 1967 its management was transferred to the IDF Museum of the Ministry of Defense. A wing dedicated to the 30,000 Jewish volunteers from Palestine in World War II opened in 2009.
The museum holds stories and memories of Jewish soldiers across generations of conflict. Personal items on display reveal individual experiences and connections to military service that visitors can encounter directly.
The museum stands in Moshav Avihayil north of Netanya, and the site is defined as a national site in the moshav's master plan. Artillery pieces used by Jewish Brigade soldiers are placed in front of the building. Inside, the main hall is built like a synagogue, with albums arranged on shelves chronologically by battalion, one page per member. A screening hall shows films on the Hebrew Battalions in World War I and the Jewish Brigade's campaign on the Senio river.
The museum is housed in a settlement founded by soldiers who completed their service and settled in the area. This link between the place itself and its collection creates a direct tie to the history that the exhibitions tell.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,421 contributors worldwide.