BNT One Day Tour: Museum of the Bible
“The Museum of the Bible exists to invite all people to engage with the Bible.”
430,000 square feet—that’s the size of it! The Museum of the Bible (MOTB) showcases rare artifacts spanning 3,500 years in history, stunning museum collections, technological displays, and immersive experiences like the “Hebrew Walk-Through.”
Whether you’re familiar with the Bible—maybe you’ve read from beginning to end many times—or you’re curious and have a lot of questions about it, the MOTB is the most remarkable museum about the impact and influence the Bible has had on the world, both in history and today.
Heather Cirmo, MOTB Communications Manager, asks the burning question, “How deep can you dive into the Bible? [You can] really engage, learn something new.”
The Grand Hall hosts a long-term exhibit from the Vatican Museums and Library. The Bible’s impact on the world, in the past and ongoing, acts as a beacon for the MOTB. Some places of impact might surprise you! What is the history of the Bible? What are the stories of the Bible? “The 5th floor features ‘The People of the Land of Israel’ a long-term exhibit from the Israel Antiquities Authority, as well as a rotating slate of special exhibits.”
MOTB Highlights
Overview or Immersive Experience
The MOTB curators designed this museum to be experienced as both an overview of the history and to show the continuing impact of the Bible on the world. So, you can move through each floor taking in the highlights: priceless artifacts, engaging with period actors, experiencing how the Bible has been delivered from ancient days to today’s technological advances, checking out the latest temporary exhibit, and grabbing a bite of Israeli fare.
According to Cirmo, a visitor can make a “shallow exploration” of MOTB because there’s “something for everybody. There’s so much to see and do it can be overwhelming.” However, if you want a more immersive experience, she suggests you make your first visit an overview, and then, come back to walk deeply into one or two areas. For example, one visit you might focus on art, another on living art in the theater, or reading every descriptive line of the exhibits. Eventually, you’ll see it all—except for the traveling exhibitions, which are constantly rolling in and out of the MOTB.
Experiencing MOTB can be just like reading the Bible: you might hop around from scripture to scripture based on one question, or read it beginning to end, or immerse yourself in one book (area).
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A Few of the Biblical Collections
PAPYRUS
Return of Unwatered Land (P.Oxy. 1459)
MANUSCRIPT
1 Peter Fragment (P.Oxy. 1353; Uncial 0206)
BIBLE – PRINTED BOOK
The New Testament and Psalms in Icelandic
PHOTOGRAPH
Portrait of Pvt. George R. Rome
BIBLE – PRINTED BOOK
Pvt. George R. Rome’s Personal New Testament
PRINTED BOOK
ABC Buchstabir und Lesebuch zum Gebrauch für Deutsche Schulen (ABC …
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Museum with a View
At MOTB, the senses fill up after awhile. That’s when you might visit Manna Restaurant and enjoy a bite to eat with stunning views of the Washington D.C.. You can even stroll through the rooftop garden.
What’s the most popular exhibit in MOTB?
The Hebrew Walk-Through (pictured on the cover of the 2019 BNT Fall Update Touring Magazine) is an “immersive experience of Old Testament and Hebrew Bible. Even if you know nothing about the the Hebrew Bible, it’s a remarkable experience,” Cirmo remarked.
Who is the most frequent visitor?
“Someone who lives within driving distance of the city.” They return again and again, immersing each time in a different aspect of the MOTB, and enjoying every new, temporary exhibit. In a city of museums, this is the definitive destination for those interested in the Bible.
Why go with a group when I can drive to MOTB?
HEADACHE-FREE—Focus on the experience without the potential headaches of driving and parking. Get the best rates!
FELLOWSHIP—Experience learning more about the Bible with fellow travelers.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE—Benefit from a knowledgable museum tour guide and the organization of one of our experienced Tour Directors.
CONVERSATION—Engage in great conversation during the MOTB visit and the whole way way home.
MOTB Floor By Floor
Basement 1— Temporary Exhibits
NOVEMBER 28, 2018 – SEPTEMBER 1, 2019
The Slave Bible: Let the Story Be Told
OCTOBER 27, 2018 – SEPTEMBER 8, 2019
The Wiedmann Bible
LONG TERM EXHIBIT
Jerusalem and Rome: Cultures in Context in the First Century CE
LONG TERM EXHIBIT
Treasures from the Vatican Museums and the Vatican Library
Floor 1—
Gutenberg Gates
Grand Hall Ceiling
Explore! A Virtual Reality Tour of the Lands of the Bible!
Courageous Pages
Treasures of the Vatican Museums and the Vatican Library
Museum Shop
Milk + Honey Café
Floor 2—
Bible in America
Bible in the World
Bible Now
Washington Revelations
Floor 3—
The Hebrew Bible Experience
The World of Jesus of Nazareth
The New Testament Theater
Floor 4—
The History of the Bible Artifacts
Drive Thru History of the Bible Theater
Bible Reading Room
illumiNations
The New Discoveries Gallery
Floor 5—
The People of the Land: History and Archaeology of Ancient Israel
World Stage Theater
Floor 6—
Glass-Enclosed Promenade
Manna
Rooftop Garden
Gathering Room
Upcoming Temporary Exhibits
July 6, 2019 – January 2020
The Tapestry of Light: A 21st-Century Apocalypse
August 24, 2019 – September 30, 2020
Picture Books of the Past: Reading an
Old Master Painting
Museum of the Bible is dedicated to being one of the “most technologically advanced and engaging museums in the world,” taking their exhibits on the road, “expanding knowledge and encouraging learning for all ages around the world,” fostering Biblical research at colleges, universities, and seminaries,” and more.
Download detailed MOTB map here.
BNT Museum of the Bible ONE DAY Tour Details:
Our ONE DAY MOTB Tour includes a guided tour of the Top 10 Exhibits. We will pick up in Lancaster, Ephrata, and York, PA, at 7:00 am, returning at 9:30 pm. Walking Guide: 2. Meals are on your own.
BNT has scheduled six ONE DAY tours for 2019 and plan to add more as travelers fill the busses. Demand has been high, so secure your seat today! (Follow link below.)
*Photo Credits
Exterior, Hebrew Walk-through, and 6th Floor Atrium—”Photo by Alan Karchmer for Museum of the Bible.”
All other photos: “Photo by Museum of the Bible.”
*Click here to go to the Museum of the Bible Tour Page
Visit MOTB website here or type https://www.museumofthebible.org/ into your browser address bar.
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