The 430,000-sf Museum of the Bible is currently under construction in Washington, D.C., and when completed, will provide visitors with an immersive experience teaching the history, narrative, and impact of the Bible.
The eight-story building will feature 40-foot-tall bronze doors at the main entrance and a garden on the building’s roof. Between the front doors and the garden, the museum will be packed with cutting-edge technology that helps to span time, space, and cultures in teaching the history of the bible.
The first floor will include a gift shop, children’s area, 12,500-sf of temporary exhibition space, permanent library space, and storage space. The second floor will feature research labs and libraries and The Impact of the Bible exhibition. The third floor features The Narratives of the Bible and Nazareth Village exhibitions. On the fourth floor you will find an exhibition named The History of the Bible. Permanent exhibition space, a 500-seat theater, 100-seat lecture hall, classrooms, and offices will be located on the fifth floor. Finally, the sixth floor will feature a gathering room and the Biblical Gardens Restaurant.
The Impact Floor (floor 2) will be highly interactive and use advanced technology to help tell the stories of the impact the Bible has had on the world.
The Narrative Floor (floor 3) intertwines immersive experiences with artifacts as visitors walk through the narratives of the Hebrew text from Genesis to Chronicles, then first-century Nazareth, and finally the New Testament.
The History Floor (floor 4) will feature more than 500 artifacts that document the Bible’s preservation, translation, and transmission across centuries. Some of the artifacts include writings dating to the time of Abraham, fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and early New Testament writings.
The museum is scheduled to open in Fall 2017.
Rendering courtesy of C&GPartners
Related Stories
Museums | May 28, 2015
SANAA wins bid to design new building for Art Gallery of New South Wales
The museum's developers hope the new gallery will enrich Sydney’s eastern cultural precinct.
Museums | May 18, 2015
Diller Scofidio + Renfro unveils preliminary design for U.S. Olympic Museum
According to the firm’s founding partner, Elizabeth Diller, the design was inspired by the movement of athletes, as it “spirals up and outwards from a central atrium.”
Museums | May 13, 2015
The museum of tomorrow: 8 things to know about cultural institutions in today’s society
Entertainment-based experiences, personal journeys, and community engagement are among the key themes that cultural institutions must embrace to stay relevant, write Gensler's Diana Lee and Richard Jacob.
Museums | Apr 27, 2015
Finalists’ designs for Guggenheim Helsinki competition released
A custom-developed App engages an international public in the selection process.
Museums | Apr 23, 2015
Moshe Safdie unveils pentagonal scheme for National Medal of Honor Museum
The new museum near Charleston, S.C., will archive the history of the nation's highest military honorees.
Museums | Apr 22, 2015
Check out Ralph Johnson's stunning nature-inspired Shanghai museum
The newly opened Shanghai Natural History Museum, designed by Perkins+Will’s Global Design Director Ralph Johnson, mimics the shape of a nautilus shell, and features natural elements throughout.
Museums | Apr 16, 2015
SANAA and Snøhetta tie at first place for Budapest museum bid
The two firms submitted designs for the New National Gallery and Ludwig Museum, one of five planned museums to be constructed in a park just outside the urban center of Hungary’s capital.
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Apr 14, 2015
Fire resistive curtain wall brings maximum light, views and safety to Aspen Art Museum
The curtain wall used for the Shigeru Ban-designed museum provides maximum daylight while protecting the art from fire
Museums | Apr 10, 2015
Henning Larsen Architects designs timber museum extension in Sweden
The new extension will complement Österund’s wooded surroundings
Building Team Awards | Apr 10, 2015
14 projects that push AEC teaming to the limits
From Lean construction to tri-party IPD to advanced BIM/VDC coordination, these 14 Building Teams demonstrate the power of collaboration in delivering award-winning buildings. These are the 2015 Building Team Award winners.
