Discover Bet Sheʼan

Explore Bet Sheʼan through three specific places: the Beit She’an Museum in the heart of the old town, Bet She’an National Park with the remains of the Roman-Byzantine city, and the Harod River with its park and trail section. Each place has its own focus—from city and regional history to archaeological traces and public open spaces.

Old-Town Museum and City History

The Beit She’an Museum is located in the old post office building, opposite the Saraya building and near the Roman amphitheater. Its subject goes beyond a single historical period: the museum presents the heritage of the city and region from the founding of the state to the present day. Its thematic scope therefore also includes more recent city and regional history. Its location in the heart of the old town grounds this focus in a specific part of Bet Sheʼan.

Ancient City and Evening Show

Bet She’an National Park preserves the remains of the Roman and Byzantine city of Bet She’an, as well as the hill where biblical Bet She’an stood. Two distinct historical reference points can therefore be found side by side: the remains of the Roman-Byzantine city and the hill of biblical Bet She’an. The audiovisual show “She’an Nights” takes place after nightfall. If you plan to attend, check the current schedule in advance; seasonal operating hours may change.

Harod River: Trail and Park

The starting point of the “Trail Between the Bridges” is in Bet Sheʼan, near the Turkish-Roman bridge on the eastern side of Route 7078. A paved, publicly accessible section of the trail runs along the north bank of the Harod River. This gives you two specific points of reference for planning: the location of the starting point and the condition of this riverside section. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

Nahal Harod Park is near the western entrance to Bet Sheʼan on Route 7078 and stretches along both banks of the Harod River. Facilities open to the public include a playground, paths, bridges, pergolas, and seating and picnic tables. Unlike the paved section of the trail, the park offers play and picnic facilities as well as paths and bridges. Individual facilities may change; check their condition before your visit.

Northern District: Distinct Archaeological Themes

Within the broader Northern District destination, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo are distinct archaeological highlights and should be considered regional context for Bet Sheʼan, rather than part of the city itself. At Tel Hazor, the visit focuses on the upper city. An excavated shaft there is 45 meters deep. In the underground water-collection system, steps three meters wide are cut into the walls of the vertical shaft. The surviving remains of this system represent sophisticated engineering adapted to the geography for water storage.

Structures from different periods are also part of Tel Hazor’s story: Solomon’s Gate, with six chambers and two towers, dates to the 10th century BCE. The Canaanite palace was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. These examples provide a chronological comparison without equating the different structures.

Tel Megiddo is one of three tells that preserve significant remains of cities with biblical connections and are closely associated with events in the Bible. The Early Bronze Age temple complex is considered exceptional because of the number of its temples, the continuity of cult activity, and the documented ritual practices. The orthogonal city plan from the Iron Age is a separate feature, with few parallels in the Levant. Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo thus each add distinct architectural and archaeological highlights to the region’s historical context.

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