I am in Washington DC for the Blockchain Summit. I had a bit of time to kill yesterday, so I took the metro a few stops so I could visit the Museum of the Bible. It is the newest Museum located just south of the National Mall.
The massive entry way into the museum has giant bronze scrolls on either side. The security checkpoint has two magnetometers along with a star-of-the-art X-ray machine that can examine fifteen bags at a time. I didn’t have any bags to check so I was through the checkpoint quickly. It was a slow morning apparently.
After clearing the checkpoint, I purchased my ticket. Purchased may not be the most accurate word. Admission is free. But the sign has a suggested donation of fifteen dollars. So I just paid the suggested admission fee. It seemed an appropriate price point as long as you don’t compare it to the many free Smithsonian museums nearby.
I decided to start on the sixth floor and work my way down. The sixth floor was quick since all I saw was a restaurant and a long hallway with a great view of the city. I checked out the view and headed down to the fifth floor.
The exhibits sort of run together in my mind from there. I visited an art gallery and a gallery with amazing artifacts dating back thousands of years. I watched a several movies about the history and archaeology of Israel. I watched a few Bible related movies. I saw a hall filled with ancient bibles and the history of how the Bible was preserved and handed down. I visited a walk-through interactive Old Testament film series. In all, it was an impressive, interactive and extensive experience. Well worth fifteen dollars.
The museum is located at 400 4th Street SW, Washington DC 20024. The phone is 866-430-MOTB.
The museum is open Monday - Saturday from 10 am - 5 pm. You could easily spend the entire day. Groups are allowed early entry starting at 9 am. On Sunday there is no early admission. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
If you are trying to plan what to do during your visit to Washington DC, I would highly recommend this museum. It was fun, informative, entertaining, interactive and extensive.
The first photo is my own. The other photos are from the museum of the Bible website.