The Museum of Islamic art young, it was founded in 1974. Located in the Jerusalem neighborhood Catamon, it has a rich collection of Islamic ceramics, textiles, jewelry, religious objects.

He founded the Museum Vera Brice, Salomons, the daughter of a British scientist and lawyer sir David Lionel Salomons. The heiress took this step in memory of his friend and teacher, the eminent specialist on Islamic art, Professor at the Hebrew University Leo Aryeh Mayer. The Museum was named after the scientist.

In the heart of the collection are private collections of Vera Salomons and Professor Mayer. In the sixties and seventies of the last century, researchers and experts in the field of Islamic art was deliberately added to the Museum. Now the collection is divided into nine galleries, in chronological order, showing the development of the culture of Islamic civilization, from the first Arab conquests of the VII century under the green banner of the Prophet.

Geographically, the collection covers many countries, from Spain in the West to India in the East. Here you can see the magnificent weapons (daggers, swords, helmets), delicate textiles, elegant pieces from glass, ceramic, metal, fine jewelry and mosaics, calligraphy, paintings. The Museum also has a large collection of carpets. The exhibits tell about the outstanding contribution of Islamic civilization to science: medicine, astronomy, mathematics.

One of the galleries is devoted entirely to the hour – sir David Lionel Salomons was an avid collector of them. He especially loved the watch of the famous Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet. Sir Salomons wrote: "Wearing a watch Breguet watch is to feel that in your pocket genius brains". Before his death in 1925 sir Salomons bequeathed 57 best chronometers work Breguet watch Jerusalem Institute of Islamic art. From there they were transferred to the Museum. The pinnacle of the collection (and the world's watchmaking) is a gold wrist instrument "Marie Antoinette", which is called the "Mona Lisa of watches". Its creation took the watchmaker and his heir, his son, forty-five years. Built at the turn of XVIII-XIX centuries, these watches have become an outstanding example of "high technology" of the time. They not only measure time, but were equipped with a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, thermometer, anti-shock device and many other features.

In 1983, the Museum was robbed of his paintings were stolen and dozens of unique timepieces, including the gem of the collection – "Marie Antoinette", whose price at the time was $ 30 million. Stolen found after more than twenty years in the Bank's safe Paris.

The Museum plays an important role in building bridges between Arab and Jewish cultures. In 2008 it hosted an exhibition of contemporary Arab art, which was attended by thirteen Arab artists.