The Christian Times | Museum of the Bible’s VP responds to claims that exhibits contain ‘very little Jesus’

The Museum of the Bible’s vice president has recently responded to claims that the new institution, which is set to open in Washington D.C. in November, largely ignores the story of Jesus Christ in its exhibits.

Several media outlets that have previewed the exhibits at the museum have claimed that while the new establishment includes tens of thousands of Biblical texts and artifacts, it leaves out the story of Jesus Christ.

“D.C.’s huge new Museum of the Bible includes lots of tech — but not a lot of Jesus,” reads the headline of an article published by The Washington Post.

The article noted that the $500 million museum does not mention anything about the Bible’s views on sexuality or contraception and it does not encourage visitors to take the scriptures literally. It went on to claim that there is “very little Jesus” present in the exhibits.

The piece, which was also featured in The Chicago Tribune, pointed out that while visitors can visit a recreation of a first-century village in Galilee where actors will tell them what the villagers think of Jesus, the story of the crucifixion and resurrection is “almost absent.”

In an email to The Christian Post, Steven Bickley, the museum’s vice president of marketing, administration and finance, explained that the new institution has a Narrative floor that is divided in half between the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.

He said that the floor includes an exhibit called “The World of Jesus of Nazareth,” which features “the sights and sounds of Jesus’ day” as well as a film focused on the spread of the early church “as told from the perspective of those who knew Jesus.”

“As the film unfolds, guests will hear the New Testament story of a new community of both Jews and Gentiles whose growth was fueled by a belief that God is leading people home through Jesus, whom they believed God raised from the dead to rule as king. Throughout the 430,000-square-foot building are quotes by and about Jesus and images of Jesus, as he is a key figure in the Bible,” Bickley noted.

“Everyone is welcome to draw their own conclusions when they enter the finished museum in just a few weeks,” he added.

Entrance to the new museum, which is scheduled to open on Nov. 17, will be free, but visitors are encouraged to donate. The exhibits will feature the private collection of ancient Biblical texts and artifacts, collected primarily by Hobby Lobby President Steve Green, who also serves as the chairman of the museum’s board.

Portions of the museum’s collections have been displayed in exhibits across the world, including multiple cities in the U.S. as well as countries like Israel, Cuba, Argentina, Germany, and Vatican City.