the second floor the Raphael Angel acoustic Auditorium was constructed in 2000, with two hundred seats. A special staircase was connected to lead to the auditorium. The old building is a single story, and its integration with the new building created a single harmonious unit, embodying the Japanese spirit. The addition of these construction elements was planned by the firm Mansfeld Kehat Architects. Educational activities Tikotin's dream was that the Japanese Museum should be a centre for studying Japanese arts and culture and for broadening the Israelis' knowledge about Japan. In the educational branch of the museum, workshops based on the exhibitions are conducted for schoolchildren and those of kindergarten age, for teachers, and for other groups. Courses are given about the Japanese language, calligraphy and ink drawing, ikebana, cooking, and special activities are held for children. There are also Japanese rooms for learning about how people live in Japan, their clothing, food, and homes. The museum presents a variety of events concerning the arts and culture of Japan. These include lectures, films, the tea ceremony, festivals and special celebrations, many of which are held in the Raphael Angel Auditorium. As a result of its activities, the museum has become a centre for promoting and understanding the unique Japanese culture, and for establishing closer ties between the two nations. Awards and recognition Since the re-opening of the museum in December 1995, there were some 145 new exhibits most, of which were curated by the museum's chief curator, Dr. Ilana Singer Blaine, who won the award by the minister of science and culture (2007), the award of the Japanese minister of foreign affairs (2014) and the Japanese emperor decoration “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Rosette” conferred by the prime minister of Japan (2021). In 2000, the museum received the Japan Foundation Special Award, which is conferred annually on institutions that make significant contributions to cultural exchanges with Japan. In 2003, the Israeli Ministry of Education and Culture's committee for evaluating the quality of exhibitions and collections, ranked the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art second only to the Israel Museum in order of merit. See also Israel–Japan relations List of museums in Israel Culture of Israel References External links Good things come in small packages, Netsuke exhibit at Tikotin Museum Art museums and galleries in Israel Museums in Haifa Asian art museums in Israel Art museums established