According to the Bible, King David, at the head of a small army, expelled a Canaanite tribe called the Jebusites from their chief city and there established his capital – the founding of Jewish Jerusalem.

A generation later, his son Solomon built the First Temple atop Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount, which was to become the center of all sacrificial ritual within the Israelite religion, as well as a focal point of pilgrimage. The First Temple stood for over 500 years until its destruction by the Babylonian army.

Dedicated to exploring and preserving this distant period of Jerusalem's history is the Center for Jerusalem in the First Temple Period, situated in the Old City near the heart of ancient Jerusalem. Its exhibits include a model of the entire city of Jerusalem in the shadow of the Temple, reproductions of famous archaeological discoveries, and its own display of First Temple artifacts. Several unique programs can also be taught by the museum's guides. The museum prefers that visits be coordinated in advance.