The museum very tastefully represents the history of Scripture as canonized by the Jewish and Christian faiths. Numerous displays hold ancient manuscripts, Bibles, scrolls, fragments of the Word of God, and archaeological finds—some going back 3,000 years to the Canaanite Bronze Age I period.

Exhibits include several feature videos depicting the history of the Old Testament and the Hebrew Bible, the story of the New Testament, and the life of several biblical authors. These are very professionally done, and honor the words of God they convey.

There are numerous theatres and video displays that illustrate very nicely the stories and themes of the Bible. They are skillfully designed and produced. And several restaurants and eateries help you keep your energy up—since to see everything in the museum can take a 10-hour day or more!

What I Liked

• Here are some of the positive highlights you can expect to encounter at the museum:
• The contribution of the Israel Antiquities Authority is a big plus for the museum. This allows for original artifacts from biblical times to be on display, some even from the time of ancient Israel in the 11th century B.C.
• Original fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls prove the accuracy of Scripture as passed onto us today. Additional facsimiles and reproductions of many of the Qumran-scroll pieces add to what can be studied and verified.
• Visitors are able walk through a recreated town of Nazareth depicting the time of the first century, along with a synagogue and live “rabbi” talk. The importance of the Sabbath was especially stressed, pointing out that Jesus, His disciples and the New Testament Church kept the seventh-day Sabbath. (It wasn’t until the fourth century that it was changed to the unbiblical worship day of Sunday.)
• The archeological and extra-biblical evidence for key characters from the Bible is on display—showing these people truly existed despite earlier claims made by skeptics. One of the best portions gives evidence of the life of King David and his early city.
• Visitors will be surprised to be reminded of how much music, even more recent music, is inspired by Scripture. And to follow, an exhibit shows how a large portion of our cinematic world has biblical themes. The Bible has had a big impact on our Western culture.

And It’s Free!

Entry to the museum is free! But donations are gratefully accepted. However, two or three special exhibits do have a cover charge to enter.

One such item is a motion ride (like you experience at theme parks) that takes the rider at high speed—with the ups and downs and twists of motion—on a tour of all the buildings, edifices and monuments of the nation’s capital where Scripture is quoted.

Afterwards, upon reflection, you know that there is no doubt from where the U.S.A.’s roots originate. At its core is the foundational belief in the Creator God! It’s emblazoned across the city—to the chagrin of many non-believers.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: When it opened to the public, the museum offered free admission with a suggested donation of $15.00. However, on December 10, 2018, the museum began to charge admission fees of up to $24.99 per person.]

Put It on Your D.C. Bucket List

The museum does good service in melding science and the Bible. The two are compatible and not mutually exclusive. Much of science is shown to have gotten its roots from Scripture, and when properly compared they are in sync.

So, all in all, and despite the criticism given by some museum visitors and secular critics, I was pleasantly surprised and quite pleased with the quality of the museum.

It is certainly worth visiting—especially if you’re a respecter of the words of God. It is a very tasteful and honorable representation of Scripture.

The floor layout contains plenty of space for future additions, and is able to host special exhibits from other prestigious museums and institutions from around the world. It will be interesting to see new exhibits added as the years progress and as science and archaeology uncover more materials that verify the veracity of Scripture.

If you are ever in Washington D.C. I’d highly recommend a visit to the Museum of the Bible!