Problem
A bible museum has opened in the USA. Sounds like it's for Christians. Is it trying to push some religion or sect?
No, it sounds like a traditional museum with a bit of up-to-date technology thrown in. Hm - what's in it for me? And how can I drag along the rest of the family?
Okay, I'm marginally interested, but why would you want to visit a bible museum if you are, or your family and friends are:
Agnostics
Agnostic? Because it is new, and interesting.
Atheist
Atheist? Historical - it confirms your views and your curiosity about how the bible was spread.
Jewish?
It's got the Bible (which Christians call the Old Testament ) as well and artifacts from
Jewish museums you might not get to visit overseas or in the USA.
A Practical Person, Scientific
Look at it from the point of view of
art,
archeology,
collecting antiques,
comparative religion,
conservation,
culture,
geography,
history,
law (Leviticus, ten commandments),
music (inspired by religion such as Ode to Joy - the last movement choral movement in Beethoven's 9th symphony; Handel's Messiah).
Romantic
It's nostalgic.
If you are not into museum culture, mostly glass cases and reading, family and kids are more keen on theme parks - it's not all old scrolls and books - it has some 3D biblical scenarios
So far, so good.
Where is it?
Washington DC. It opened Nov 17 2017.
Opening and Closing
Closed for Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving.
Useful Websites:
https://www.museumofthebible.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_the_Bible
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biblical_places
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_modern_names_for_biblical_place_names
Similar or Related Subject Museums:
- Bible and Orient Museum (Switzerland)
- Bible Museum Münster (Germany)
- Biblical Museum of Natural History (Beit Shemesh, Israel; combined zoo and education about the Torah which is the basic books of the bible or Old Testament)
- Museum of Biblical Art (Dallas, Texas, USA)
- Museum of Biblical Art (New York City, USA)
- Dead Sea Scrolls in Jerusalem, Israel
- In addition or instead you can visit Jewish and Holocaust museums in Washington DC and New York and worldwide.
- Historical museums often contain family bibles. My favourites include a) Jewish Museum, London, UK; b) Jewish Museum, Amsterdam; c) Sinner's Bible missing out the word 'not', leaving Thou Shalt Commit Adultery, in museum of Harrow School, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London, England, UK.
- Whilst travelling in the USA, you might also be interested in the Amish in the east coast states of the USA; and the Mormons who have a museum in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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