A child accidentally smashed a 3,500-year-old artifact on a museum trip in every parent's worst nightmare

• A young boy accidentally smashed a 3,500-year-old jar at the Hecht Museum in Israel.
• The jar, dating back to the Bronze Age, was displayed without glass barriers.
• The museum will not punish the child and plans to restore the jar.

It's every parent's worst nightmare.

During a visit to the Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa in Israel, a young boy's father was shocked to see his son next to a shattered Bronze Age jar.

The boy's father told the BBC that he first thought, "It wasn't my child that did it," but then told the museum guards what happened after his son had calmed down.

The museum said it would not punish the child for the incident as it was an accident.

"There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police," said Lihi Laszlo, a spokesperson for the University of Haifa, which operates the museum.

The jar has been at the museum for 35 years, Sky News reported.

The museum said it dates to the Bronze Age between 2200 BC and 1500 BC , predating the time of King David. It was likely intended to store and transport local supplies, mainly wine and olive oil.

Similar jars have been found in archaeological excavations, but most were found broken or incomplete, making this intact jar especially rare.

The jar was on display near the museum entrance without any glass barriers — an unusual practice for museums but one in keeping with the founder's vision to make archaeological items accessible to the public, Inbal Rivlin, the museum's director, said.

"The museum believes that there is a special charm in experiencing an archaeological find without any obstructions, and despite the rare incident with the jar, the Hecht Museum will continue this tradition," Rivlin told Business Insider in a statement.

Rivlin publicly invited the boy and his family to an organized tour of the museum later this week, which they have agreed to attend.

A conservation specialist was also asked to restore the jar, and it is expected to be returned to its former glory soon.

Editor's note: August 28, 2024 — An earlier version of this story may have misstated the age of the child who broke the vase. Business Insider has not independently confirmed his age, so references to it have been removed from the story.