Near Highway 90 in the south of the Dead Sea on your way to a perfect vacation in the
Dead Sea, Judean Desert or Eilat, you’ll encounter a fascinating story about the vision,
determination, and entrepreneurship of a Zionist pioneer with a dream to develop
industry in the Land of Israel. A story that is not recounted enough as it constitutes a
central part of the Zionist ethos and the renewal of the Jewish home in the Land of Israel.
The visitor center preserves and restores the Palestine Potash Company, which
was active from 1934 until the early 1950s, and the worker’s camps of the company
plants.
You’ll see up close the way of working and living in this isolated part of the
country, and the vision and determination of people who not only dreamed, but
also executed their plans despite the difficulties.
The visitor center tour is led by a guide. During the tour, you’ll pass through
several of the camp’s structures, which have been restored, adapted, and made
accessible to those with limited mobility.
You’ll start in the Dead Sea model hall, an innovative and spectacular model that
illustrates the formation of the Dead Sea rift and the many unique features which
have attracted people to its shores over the millennia.
You’ll then continue on to the dining hall of the worker’s camp. The structure has
been restored and here you’ll meet Moshe Novomeysky, a mining engineer born
in Siberia who first arrived on the Dead Sea’s shores in 1911, and founded the
Palestine Potash Company in 1929.
Later on, with the help of virtual reality glasses, you’ll be able to enter into the
worker’s camp when it was most crowded and truly feel immersed in the history
of the place and the worker’s daily lives.
You’ll learn about the staff’s heroic struggle during the War of Independence,
and the camp’s continuation after the war.
The tour will conclude with explaining the importance of Dead Sea mineral
extraction, highlighting the activity of current Dead Sea plants and the fine line
between environmental conservation and economic development.
The visitor center is accessible to those with limited mobility.