A series of development models for the Einstein Museum at the Mount Scopus Campus of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem will be included in the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in London, which opens on 10 June. The project is a joint venture between the President of Israel, the office of the Prime Minister and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and aims to create an uplifting and inspirational centre for learning and discovery that will document and celebrate the scientific and cultural impact of one of the world’s greatest minds.
The museum’s design is a celebration of light. At the heart of the spherical building is an amphitheatre, focused on a bed of gyroscopic mirrors. The mirrors rotate and reflect sunlight onto a dark screen, producing light shows and the spectacular effect of a natural light star above the museum. Visitors can walk beneath the mirrors through a dramatic exhibition courtyard.
Based on the principles of openness and transparency, the building will be welcoming and will invite exploration. Its façade is made up of profiled stone ribs, which reveal an image of Einstein's face from different viewpoints. Light is used as a unifying theme throughout the interior, as each exhibition space draws on different lighting techniques to explore his scientific theories.
Illuminated at night as a symbol of the city, the architecture celebrates Einstein's connections with Jerusalem – he bequeathed his personal papers and literary estate to the university. The museum’s design is conceived to shine a light on the life and achievements of a remarkable individual.
Summer Exhibition: royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/summer
