Ticho House was one of the first houses in Jerusalem built outside the old city walls. It was built in the second half of the ninteenth century by an Arab dignitary. Among its first occupants was the family of the notorious antiquities forger, Shapira. (The house is described in the memoirs of his daughter, Miriam Harry, La petite fille de Jerusalem.)

Dr. Avraham Albert Ticho and his cousin Anna were born at the end of the last century in Moravia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Dr. Ticho completed his medical studies in Vienna where he specialized in ophtalmology at the Rudolph Hospital. 

 
Anna began studying art at the age of fifteen, also in Vienna.
In 1912, Dr. Ticho was sent by the Frankfurt-based organization Lema’an Tzion to open an eye clinic in Jerusalem. Anna followed him and they were married that same year.

The impact of the Jerusalem landscape, with its barren hills, was such that for a number of years Anna Ticho could not paint. She began drawing again while in Damascus where her husband was stationed during world war I.
The Tichos bought the house in 1924. They converted the lower storey into an eye clinic which served the population of Jerusalem, rich and poor alike, until Dr. Ticho’s death in 1960. Anna served as his assistant and at the same time began going out into the landscape and drawing the hills, views and figures of Jerusalem. Using different media over the years, these remained the chief subjects of her work. 

The Tichos, throughout their long lives, were active in Jerusalem’s social and cultural life. After her husband’s death, Anna continued to live and work in the same house until her own death in 1980. Her work was widely acclaimed and her drawings are found in many museums in Israel and abroad. She received many honorary titles and awards, including the Israel Prize in 1980. 

As a token of her love to Jerusalem, Anna Ticho bequeathed the house, all of its collections and its library to the people of the city, to serve as a public center for art.

Ticho House is open Sun. Mon. Weds. Thurs. 10:00 - 17:00; Tues. 10:00 - 22:00; Fri. 10:00 - 14:00.  The house contains:  Temporary Exhibitions An exhibition of works by Anna Ticho Hanukah lamps collected by Dr.Abraham Ticho A reference library of books about Jerusalem, art and literature Concerts and cultural events A garden Cafe/Restaurant 9 Harav kook Street Jerusalem Tel. 972-2-6245068, 972-2-6244186