On display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem as part of the institution’s 50th anniversary, A Brief History of Humankind dips into the museum’s permanent collection to illuminate mankind’s story from prehistory to current times. Inspired by Yuval Noah Harari’s bestselling book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, the exhibition spans the length of civilization, including evidence of the use of fire dating to some 800,000 years ago, early tools, primitive agriculture, the invention of writing and modern breakthroughs such as Albert Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity.

Displayed as a narrative that explores the connection between past and present, sections include In the Beginning, Fire, The Cognitive Revolution, Survival and Extinction, The Family, Agricultural Revolution, Law, Writing, City and House, Money, Globalization, The Industrial Revolution and The Future. Rare archaeological discoveries are displayed, along with seminal works of contemporary art. The special exhibition is on view in The Route of Passage Bella and Harry Wexner Gallery through Jan. 2, 2016. Guided tours are available on select dates, along with a Gallery Talk on June 17.