Years In The Making Bible Museum Opens In Washington
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WASHINGTON Carol Haun has waited years for a museum dedicated to the Bible. On Friday, her prayers were answered.
Ms. Haun, a Bible study teacher from Charlotte, N.C., was among the first visitors to the Museum of the Bible, which opens to the public this weekend. It houses more than 500 biblical artifacts and texts and the worlds largest private collection of retired Torah scrolls.
Critics say the museum, a nearly $500 million endeavor located a few blocks from the National Mall, represents only a Judeo-Christian perspective, and omits other religions like Islam that draw from the Bible. It is largely funded by Steve Green, the evangelical billionaire and owner of Hobby Lobby, the business name that has become shorthand for the 2014 Supreme Court ruling that corporations with religious owners cannot be required to pay for insurance coverage of some contraception.
This will come under attack, and peoples agendas will clash, Ms. Haun said. But let this place speak for itself.
Really, Im all about the Word, and for this museum to be here for people to see the beauty, its wonderful, she said.
But some biblical scholars have said the museums exhibits focus too narrowly on American Protestantism, and have omitted parts of the Bibles history.
We pray with you, one woman told museum donors as they entered.
The Impact Of The Bible
On Floor 2, explore Bible in the World, where guests can explore the Bibles impact on fashion, literature, music, and more, and Bible in America, with artifacts tracing the Bibles profound influence on American culture. Check out Bible Now for a spectacular live feed of global data or Washington Revelations for a dazzling flight through the nations capital.
A Short Visit To The Museum Of The Bible
The new Museum of the Bible in Washington is three blocks from the U.S. Capitol. CNS
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The Museum of the Bible has a standing agreement with the Vatican Museum to bring different exhibits to Washington. MARY STACHYRA LOPEZ | CATHOLIC HERALD
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Ill go ahead and say it: My concerns as I walked into the new Museum of the Bible in Washington this week were threefold. First, I feared that it would offer a shallow view of Scripture. Second, that the historical elements would be weak in their presentation. Third, that the Catholic Church would be negatively portrayed if not largely ignored. How serious a place will this be, I wondered.
To my great delight and amazement, I found a truly beautiful, richly textured, compelling, and powerful series of exhibits in this outstanding new museum. While not perfect and not everything I would prefer to see as a Catholic, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Museum of the Bible exceeded nearly every expectation I had. It certainly shows what is possible with a half-billion dollar investment, largely funded by the evangelical Protestant owners of the Hobby Lobby company.
The fifth and sixth floors feature the World Stage Theater , a ballroom and gathering area, a lounge for museum members, a very nice glass-covered promenade offering skyline views of Washington DC, and the Manna Restaurant .
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Good To Know Before You Go
- Plan to stay for a few hours or more
- The Museum of the Bible is located just off the Mall a few blocks from the Air & Space Museum.
- The museum is stroller friendly. There are also baby changing tables in several restrooms as well as a nursing lounge.
- Consider the Museums membership for multiple visits
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Museum Exhibitions And Attractions
Museum of the Bibles exhibits, restaurants, attractions, and retail spaces are fully wheelchair accessible. There is also minimal seating available throughout the floors and galleries.
Open captioning is available on most video presentations throughout the museum. Scripts are available upon request for the Hebrew Bible Experience and the New Testament Theater on The Stories of the Bible Floor.
Further Immigration Expansion And Industrialization
In the North, urbanization and an unprecedented from and supplied a surplus of labor for the country’s industrialization and transformed its culture. National infrastructure, including and , spurred economic growth and greater settlement and development of the . The later invention of and the would also affect communication and urban life.
The United States fought west of the Mississippi River from 1810 to at least 1890. Most of these conflicts ended with the cession of Native American territory and their confinement to . Additionally, the in the 1830s exemplified the that forcibly resettled Indians. This further expanded acreage under mechanical cultivation, increasing surpluses for international markets. Mainland expansion also included the from in 1867. In 1893, pro-American elements in Hawaii the and formed the , which the U.S. in 1898. , , and the were ceded by Spain in the same year, following the . was acquired by the United States in 1900 after the end of the . The were purchased from Denmark in 1917.
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Hobby Lobby Smuggling Scandal
Shipments of artifacts imported by Hobby Lobby in 2010 and 2011 were seized by US customs agents. The artifacts, largely clay bullae and cuneiform tablets from ancient Iraq, had in some cases been declared as “tile samples”. Federal investigation culminated in a 2017 civil forfeiture action United States of America v. Approximately Four Hundred Fifty Ancient Cuneiform Tablets and Approximately Three Thousand Ancient Clay Bullae, after which Hobby Lobby agreed to forfeit and return more than 5500 artifacts, and to pay of a fine of $3 million. The artifacts in question had likely been looted from Iraq. Hobby Lobby was found to have used couriers that had willfully used methods to conceal the provenance of the allegedly stolen items. The museum released a statement that these artifacts were never owned by the Museum of the Bible and were never intended to be part of their collection. In 2018, the items were returned to Iraq, and the company paid a $3 million fine.
Scott Thumma, a dean and professor of sociology of religion at Hartford Seminary, defended Hobby Lobby during the smuggling controversy. Thuma stated: “Many of the collections of our great national museums and universities are full of the very objects that Hobby Lobby is being fined for smuggling and are seldom required to return or pay compensation.”
Museum’s Collection Of Purported Dead Sea Scroll Fragments Are Fakes Experts Say
Forgeries and forfeitures
After inviting scholars to examine one of its prized possessions purported fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls, pieces of one of the first known bibles the museum announced in March that these had been found to be modern forgeries. Kloha says the museum has decided to return the items to their previous owners and could seek legal action to recover the money it paid for them.
Last month, U.S. authorities ordered the museum to forfeit the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, a roughly 3,500-year-old cuneiform fragment from one of the earliest known creation epics. Authorities said it had been stolen from Iraq and sold by a major auction house with unsupported provenance.
Hobby Lobby has since filed a suit against the Christie’s auction firm, alleging that Christie’s provided inaccurate documentation when Hobby Lobby bought the tablet for $1.6 million in 2014.
Christie’s did not respond to NPR’s request for comment on the tablet’s forfeiture. It said later that it had not known that the documentation was fraudulent when it sold the tablet.
“We’ve found quite a bit about that item, and we’ll continue to work with external researchers, experts in Afghan culture and history who have been on the ground in Afghanistan,” Kloha says.
He says the museum is consulting with scholars from Israel, England and Germany and is “still working on the best resolution” for the item. “There’s a pretty strong legal case for holding it,” he says.
Warnings ignored
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If You Go To The Museum Of The Bible In Washington Dc:
The Old Testament Experience At Museum Of The Bible
Undoubtedly the most creative and engaging rendering of The Old Testament ever experienced. Both high-tech and historically accurate, the dawn of creation will shake you! This 40-minute immersive journey brings to life in full dimension the major tales of the Old Testament, from Adam and Eves disobedience to Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and beyond. Combining old and new through history and technology has certainly, in our opinion, made the Bible approachable and engaging to everyone! Youll be awestruck at the burning bush, in itself a reason to visit! The Old Testament contains many books, but tells one story, the peoples journey back to God.
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We Took Care Of Their Luggage
Awesome service – used in the first time in La Rochelle after finding on google. Would recommend to avoid getting stuck with luggage to cart around and will use again!
Chels Sunderland September 2019
Outstanding company with a precise delivery! Good service, always sending updates! Will surely use it again! Well done Eelway
I have used this service twice now in the last year – both times without any issue. It has left me free to check out of an air bnb and still have a day in Paris without luggage.
Beth Thompson October 2018
So simple and stress free! Excellent service – thank you for helping me with my heavy bags, it gave me and extra day to explore Paris before my evening flight.
Carrie-Anne Wagner September 2018
Heavy Visitor Season Prompts Extended Hours
WASHINGTON, D.C. Museum of the Bible has adjusted its hours of operation to account for seasonal changes, with new hours to take effect April 1, 2018. The change comes during the Cherry Blossom Festival, the traditional start of tourist season in the nations capital.
Spring and summer bring an influx of tourists to Washington, D.C. and by adjusting the hours, Museum of the Bible can invite larger numbers of visitors to engage with the Bible as part of their visit to the city.
The museum encourages guests to plan their visit in advance by booking tickets at .
Museum of the Bible hours of operation:
Museum Hours
Member and Group Hours: 9 10 a.m. Monday – Saturday
General Public Hours: 10 a.m. 5 p.m. daily
Extended Spring Hours
Member and Group Hours: 9 10 a.m. Monday – Saturday
General Public Hours: 10 a.m. 6 p.m. daily
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day
Close at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve
*Subject to change seasonally and based on actual attendance
**Excludes evening events or programs supported and approved by Museum of the Bible
Museum of the Bible opened to the public November 2017. Timed tickets to the 430,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art museum are available for both general admission and group reservations. Tickets are required for entry, are limited, and are available at: www.museumofthebible.org/tickets
About Museum of the Bible
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Museum Of The Bible In Washington Dc
The Museum of the Bible opened back in 2017. Ive been curious about it ever since and now that I have visited I wish I had not waited so long.
Its very kid friendly and theyll really have a good time!
The first thing I think everyone should know is that the Museum of the Bible is a museum about the Bible and not a museum about religion.
Although there is obviously a lot of information about religion throughout the museum the focus is squarely on the Bible itself and is not evangelical in the least.
This means that even if you are not religious or do not share the Judeo-Christian beliefs in the Bible the museum is still well worth a visit.
New Museum Invites Visitors To ‘engage’ With The Bible
Now the museum is trying to clean up its act. Museum executives have embarked on a campaign to comply with basic due diligence in authenticating the institution’s holdings. The stricter policies, mandated by U.S. federal authorities, include going through the museum’s entire 40,000-piece collection and returning potentially looted goods to their countries of origin. But some antiquities experts question why it has taken so long.
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How Many Vacation Rentals Are Available Around Museum Of The Bible
Our 2022 vacation rental listings offer a large selection of 1,833 house rentals around Museum of the Bible. From 616 house rentals to 1,040 condo and apartment rentals, find unique vacation rental for you to enjoy a memorable stay with your family and friends for a long holiday or a weekend break is on Vrbo.
After ‘missteps’ And Controversies Museum Of The Bible Works To Clean Up Its Act
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The Museum of the Bible is located near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The entrance is flanked by large bronze doors depicting the first lines of the Book of Genesis. Jennifer Kerrigan/NPRhide caption
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The Museum of the Bible is located near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The entrance is flanked by large bronze doors depicting the first lines of the Book of Genesis.
When the Museum of the Bible opened three years ago, its founders aimed to engage a wider audience with the Bible and its thousands of years of history.
But the museum’s ambitious goals have been overshadowed by a series of scandals, still unfolding, over antiquities acquired in a five-year international shopping spree that have turned out to be looted or fake.
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Civil War And Reconstruction Era
Irreconcilable sectional conflict regarding of and ultimately led to the . With the of , conventions in thirteen slave states declared secession and formed the , while the federal government ” rel=”nofollow”> Union”) maintained that secession was illegal. In order to bring about this secession, military action was initiated by the secessionists, and the Union responded in kind. The ensuing war would become the deadliest military conflict in American history, resulting in the deaths of approximately 618,000 soldiers as well as many civilians. The Union initially simply fought to keep the country united. Nevertheless, as casualties mounted after 1863 and Lincoln delivered his , the main purpose of the war from the Union’s viewpoint became the abolition of slavery. Indeed, when the Union ultimately won the war in April 1865, each of the states in the defeated South was required to ratify the , which prohibited slavery except as . Two other amendments were also ratified, ensuring citizenship for blacks and, at least in theory, voting rights for them as well.
Southern white Democrats, calling themselves “”, took control of the South after the end of Reconstruction, beginning the . From 1890 to 1910, the Redeemers established so-called , most blacks and some poor whites throughout the region. Blacks would face nationwide, especially in the South. They also occasionally experienced vigilante violence, including .
How To Go To The Museum Of The Bible: Tickets Transportation And All The Info You Need
Want to see Washingtons newest museum? Heres all the info youll need to plan your trip to the Museum of the Bible, which opened Saturday morning.
How to get there: The Museum of the Bible is located at 4th and D streets SW, just across from the Federal Center SW Metro station. There are plenty of transit options 30 series, 52 and P6 buses all stop nearby, and theres a Capital Bikeshare station a block away but parking nearby is limited.
When to visit: The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
What it costs: Admission is free, but the museum asks for a donation of about $15 per adult and $10 per child.
Whats happening this weekend: All the advance tickets for Saturday and Sunday have already been reserved. But museum officials say that the building can hold 5,000 visitors at a time, and theyll admit walk-up guests as space permits.
How to get tickets: If you want to book advance tickets to visit the museum on a later date, go to the museums website. You can reserve tickets for up to six people. The museum also has two hours each morning set aside just for group tours those are mostly booked through November, December and January.
What else to know before you go: The Washington Post has written about the museums background and offerings. Check out these stories.
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