$500M Museum Of The Bible Opening In DC

WASHINGTON, DC — The $500 million Museum of the Bible, built by Hobby Lobby owner Steve Green, opens Friday in Southwest Washington, just three blocks away from the U.S. Capitol.

The museum's opening drew controversy after news broke in July that Green was involved in smuggling ancient Iraqi artifacts into the U.S. Hobby Lobby, the national craft store chain, began importing Iraqi artifacts — worth about $1.6 million in total — from Israel and the United Arab Emirates in 2009, using packaging that falsely marked them as samples, prosecutors said.

The store had to pay $3 million and forfeit the clay bullae, cuneiform tablets and cylinder seals to settle the civil suit brought against it by the federal government, court records show.

The museum will provide visitors with the chance to explore the history, narrative and impact of the Bible throughout time. The nonprofit museum "aims to be the most technologically advanced museum in the world" with the purpose to "invite all people to engage with the Bible," according to a news release.

The 430,000-square-foot museum will include more than 2,800 artifacts spread across eight floors. Visitors can browse artifacts like an Ethiopian Gospel Book, Gospels in Greek, a German Passover Wine Cup and a Paris Pocket Bible. Attendees can even take a look at Elvis Presley's Bible.

Other features include an expansive exhibit and gallery space, libraries, a restaurant, a biblical garden, a performing arts theater, a grand ballroom and an event space.

"The museum has fenceposts - limits. It doesn't overtly say the Bible is good - that the Bible is true," Steve Green, the CEO of Hobby Lobby and the chair of the museum, told The Chicago Tribune. "That's not its role. Its role is to present facts and let people make their own decisions."

Guests can explore a collection of Bibles in over 2,000 languages on the The History of the Bible floor on the fourth floor of the museum. The museum also has one of the world's largest private collections of Torahs.

"Our passion for the Bible continues," Green said in July. "We will do all that we can to support the efforts to conserve items that will help illuminate and enhance our understanding of this Great Book."

The museum is free, but attendees are encouraged to donate $15 when they visit.

“Our mission is to invite all people to engage with the Bible,” Museum of the Bible President Cary Summers said in a statement. “We can think of no more fundamental way to give people access to the treasures and experiences inside this museum than to offer public admission coupled with the ability to reserve timed-entry tickets.”

Photo: DEMOSS