The Hecht Museum in Haifa was established in 1984 by Reuben Hecht, a founding member of the University of Haifa and a collector of archaeological artifacts from the land of Israel. The predominant exhibits in the museum are from the Byzantine period.
In August, a 4-year-old boy accidentally broke a 3.500-year-old jar. It is a rare piece from the Bronze Age, possibly used to store wine or oil in the period between 2200 and 1500 BC.
The incident went viral, highlighting the unusual response of the museum, which instead of punishing the family, invited them to witness the restoration process. After being restored, the artifact was returned to its usual place near the museum entrance, without protective barriers.
According to Tamar Rabbi-Salhov, the museum's curator of archaeology, the museum team decided to leave the jar's cracks visible, following the philosophy that "everything that happens to an object is part of its history."
The incident was an opportunity for the museum to reaffirm its vision of how to present the physical culture of the past, seeking to balance the protection of fragile objects with the closeness that comes from not placing barriers between the pieces and the visitors.