Museum of the Bible: Year in Review 2016

2016

review YEAR IN

word A PERSONAL

Dear Friend,

Excitement is building!

Museum of the Bible will be opening in only a few months. Together, many have worked toward this goal for quite some time now. Final preparations are already underway for a long-awaited milestone — a fantastic landmark — a new starting point: our Grand Opening!

Thanks to your outstanding support, we’ll open our world-class, 430,000-square-foot building in November 2017, a great accomplishment creating unprecedented opportunity to engage people with the Bible. We will share many of our greatest biblical treasures, as well as expand the many life-impacting programs we’ve developed over the past six years.

Your continued, and much-needed, support will further efforts for the Bible Curriculum expansion in translation, research in new biblical discoveries, and reaching people around the world with traveling exhibits. With your help, we will continue to share the history, narrative, and impact of the Bible for generations to come, around the world.

At the museum building site, structural work was completed in 2016.

The public’s view of the exterior of the building is very close to the final product that guests will experience in Fall 2017.

The incredible journey continues. I thank you for your generous support of this unprecedented project, and I invite you to get a few glimpses of this extraordinary adventure in the TABLE OF CONTENTS following pages. Now, it’s a race to the starting line.

Focus Impact Areas................... 3 - 7 And you can join!

The Museum............................. 8 - 11

With appreciation,

Advances in Design. . ............... 12 - 13 Fiscal Year Report.................. 14 - 15 Impact Stories........................ 16 - 17

Timothy Smith Chief Development Officer Museum of the Bible

Mission.......................................... 18 What People Are Saying................. 19

FOCUS

impact AREAS

AN UPDATE ON THE KEY INITIATIVES COMPRISING MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE Museum of the Bible is more than a museum ... much more.

It’s a vibrant team of passionate, innovative people diligently working to create impactful experiences — at the museum in D.C., across the country, and around the world. This effort is built on the museum & traveling exhibits, education, and research. We are grateful for what has been accomplished in 2016 and excited about where we are headed in 2017...

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FOCUS IMPACT AREAS

THE MUSEUM & TRAVELING EXHIBITS

• We installed our first exhibit item in 2016. An exact replica of the Liberty Bell was placed in position on

Presenting historic treasures that provide tangible

August 16, anchoring The Bible in America exhibit.

evidence of some of the impact the Bible has

The bell stands six feet tall, weighs 3,200 pounds,

made around the world will spark conversations

and peals in E-flat, the same key as the original.

for generations to come. While the museum in

see photos 1 and 2

Washington, D.C., will be our largest facility of outreach, we remain dedicated to reaching all people

• Our first domestic traveling exhibit concluded —

everywhere. This is why we continue to organize and

35,000 square feet featuring 80 cases of nearly

fund our traveling exhibits, so those who are unable to

400 artifacts — having visited six cities and

visit D.C. will still be able to engage with the Bible like

traveled more than 5,000 miles. Through our

never before.

traveling exhibits, both domestic and international, people around the world have had the opportunity

2016 Highlights: • “Topping out” is a construction term for when you put in place the very last steel girder. Museum of

to engage with the Bible.

EDUCATION

the Bible hosted a “topping out” celebration on

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September 13, 2016, honoring our hundreds of

As a global educational institution, Museum of the

construction workers, and many others, for this

Bible is dedicated to expanding knowledge and

major milestone — more than 800 guests in all.

encouraging learning for all ages around the world.

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1. An exact replica of the Liberty Bell was installed on August 16, 2016.

2. An artist’s rendering of how the bell will be displayed in the museum.

Our curriculum, student-sponsored, and Christian

the U.K.’s government-mandated “Religious

leadership programs of international acclaim have

Education” system in the public schools.

helped thousands from the next generation become educationally inspired to explore the Bible. Our Museum of the Bible studios has created video trailers

• Our curriculum has also undergone an additional pilot program at a private school in the U.S.

for upcoming projects including Foods of the Bible, the Bible going into space, and the search for the Ark of

• Our homeschool program began with an initial

the Covenant. Our publishing efforts include some 20

release of textbooks and teacher guides in 2016.

books that will be ready for the museum opening.

Plans for an official launch are scheduled for 2017.

2016 Curriculum Highlights:

• More than 1,000 students chosen from 100 college campuses traveled to Israel through the

• We successfully pilot-tested our Bible curriculum

“Passages” program, designed for Christian college

with students in Israel starting in 2014. The

students with leadership potential. Participants

program expanded substantially each year, and

encountered the roots of their biblical faith by

now includes over 100,000 school children in

traveling throughout the country. 3

Israel. Israel’s Ministry of Education has approved the course as an elective, clearing the way for a nationwide launch!

• In the U.K., we successfully pilot-tested curriculum

• We have Android and Apple apps currently available for our curriculum. 4 4

for the first time in 2016, incorporating it alongside 3

3. The “Passages” program brings college students face-to-face with the roots of their biblical faith.

4. Search (and find!) “Museum of the Bible” in the App Store.

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• In August 2016, we entered into a “Declaration of Cooperation” with Yad Vashem, the world Holocaust Remembrance Center in Israel. A great many efforts will be made to inform and connect individuals, youth, and pastors to authoritative sources on the history and facts of the Holocaust. see photo 1

RESEARCH Research runs on the collaborative work of students and their local professor mentors, who participate in sponsored international research projects. The program includes more than 60 institutions and over 100 scholars in six countries. Current projects relate to the manuscript traditions of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, research labs for artifact preservation and analysis, and publishing for academic monograph series published by Brill press.

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2016 Highlights: • As the academic research wing of Museum of the

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Bible, the Scholars Initiative fosters biblical research at colleges, universities, and seminaries around the world, planning and supporting academic projects related to the languages and material culture of the Bible. A great effort is continually being made to exhaust what can be learned from the artifacts in the Museum Collections.

• The Logos Fellowship invited a select group of students to participate in the Scholars Initiative summer conference in Oxford, England. Logos Conference graduates were then invited to apply for our Explorations program, which enabled students to continue their studies in Israel working alongside some of the top scholars in the world. 2

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4 1. President of Museum of the Bible, Cary Summers and Shaya Ben Yehuda Dir. of International Relations Yad Vashem signing “Declearation of Cooperation.”

• Brill, a leading international academic publisher, released Dead Sea Scrolls Fragments in the Museum Collection in early 2016, the first in a series of volumes based on research sponsored by Museum of the Bible.

Emanuel Tov, emeritus Professor in the Department of Bible at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was senior editor of the project. This was the culmination of four years of research involving some 50 scholars. 3 • Geophysical surveys were completed at Tel Shimron to reveal the potential of unlocking some 4,000 years worth of history, in preparation for excavation to begin in 2017. 4

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1. Students walk the streets of Oxford, England during the Scholars Initiative summer conference.

2. A fragment of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

3. An aerial view of Tel Shimron excavation site.

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THE

MUSEUM

WASHINGTON, D.C.

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impact THE IMPACT FLOOR

The Impact Floor presents poignant examples of how the Bible

has influenced life and cultures around the world from arts and

entertainment to government policy, education, and everything in between.

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2016 MILESTONES: The Impact Floor

• The creation of the keystone exhibit for The Bible in America began and will include a beautiful tapestry standing nearly 10 feet that depicts iconic moments in history, revealing the Bible’s impact on the nation. see photo 1 • Component designs were completed in preparation for video footage filmed from a helicopter, the Washington Revelations 5D animation ride, which will allow visitors to “fly” throughout Washington, D.C., and discover prominent places of scripture locations. 2 • Finalized technical design requirements were 3

completed in preparation for the Bible Now exhibit, which is a “Times Square of the Bible” with streaming information coming in live from people all over the world via the Web. The Joshua Machine video-recording booth stands at the center, allowing guests to share a personal story about the Bible with the museum. 3

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stories

THE STORIES OF THE BIBLE FLOOR The Stories of the Bible Floor is an immersive, theatrical walk-through of the Hebrew Scriptures and the

New Testament, bringing the Bible’s narrative to life.

2016 MILESTONES: Stories of the Bible Floor • Final development and design were completed for The Hebrew Bible Exhibit, which will open up the stories of the Hebrew Bible and invite visitors to take a journey through the times of biblical figures. see photo 1 • Design and technical standards were completed for The New Testament Theater, a breathtaking 270-degree theatre screen with high-definition sound engulfs you in a fascinating clue-following mission through the eyes of the gospel writer Luke. 2

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• Preparations were made to begin the installation of the World of Jesus of Nazareth Exhibit where guests will step into an immersive experience of the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the Nazareth where Jesus lived.

• Final design and layout for our children’s gallery, Courageous Pages, was completed. This children’s exhibit contains biblically themed active play games for kids, and people of all ages, while they learn about some of everyone’s favorite Bible stories and characters.

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history THE HISTORY FLOOR

The History Floor uses the world-renowned

Museum Collections to trace the Bible’s own story of

faithful translation through time, technology, and culture.

2016 MILESTONES: The History Floor • A professional cartographer was engaged

to create some 45 custom maps for use in the exhibit.

• All exhibit text, maps, and image selections for History of the Bible have been going through multiple rounds of review with museum curators and advising scholars before reaching final approval.

• Designers, museum scholars, and curators 3

worked to reach the final selection of more than 600 Bibles and scrolls to be displayed in History of the Bible. 3 • Footage and material have been collected surrounding the story for the destination and mini-theaters in History of the Bible, which will be told through footage shot in Israel, England, Italy, and Germany. 4

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advances IN

DESIGN

2016 BUILDING AND DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS To build one of the biggest, most creative, and most technologically advanced museums in the world takes an incredible array of

design partners are at the forefront

people, thought, coordination, organization,

of technology,

and imagination. We’ve brought in some of

construction, and

the most acclaimed leaders in their fields as we selected different designers for the main floors that constitute the museum experience — the History of the Bible, the Stories of the Bible, and the Impact of the Bible. Each floor will have it’s own unique feel and the overall experience will be diverse. Our exhibits will offer all visitors the opportunity to engage with the Bible in ways never before imagined!

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Our dedicated

innovation.

MILESTONES: OVERALL CONSTRUCTION • The beautiful rooftop glass structure installation was completed in October 2016 — inspired

by Noah’s Ark and a boat from the time of Jesus found in Galilee.

• The Lobby Floor began installation, with flooring from two different nations: as you enter the museum, the floor is being clad in a dark, charcoal gray stone from Portugal; moving deeper into the museum, lighter tiles from Tunisia are being mixed in with the dark ones.

Eventually, the light tile will completely overtake the dark, illustrating the idea that as we delve deeper into the Bible, we move from darkness to light.

2016

report

FISCAL YEAR

NET ASSETS $474 million $201 million Museum Collections $268 million D.C. museum site, construction in progress $5 million

SOURCES OF INCOME $169 million $167 million Cash and promises to give $2 million

MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE

All other assets net of liabilities

All other income

USES OF INCOME $169 million $11 million

Management and general expenses

$15 million

Fundraising/Marketing expenses

$118 million

Construction in progress and other capital asset purchases

$14 million

Program expenses

$8 million

Increase in cash on hand and other operating assets

$3 million

Curriculum development

BREAKOUT OF FUNDRAISING EXPENSES $14,324,149 $5,024,808

Fundraising Events

$2,078,567 G&A

Museum of the Bible Fiscal Year: July 1, 2015 — June 30, 2016 Audited financial statements are available upon request.

$614,352

Operations

$24,306

Technology

$1,018,682 Marketing $1,120,731

Sponsorships/Grants

$2,461,326

Contract Services

$1,981,377

Payroll/Benefits

BREAKOUT OF PROGRAM EXPENSES $13,125,438 $3,772,572

Traveling Exhibits

$2,370,761

Museum Collections

$1,711,313 Research

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$998,204

Permanent Museum

$4,115,662

Education

$156,926

Cost of Sales

NET ASSETS

$474 Million $201 Million

$268 Million

Museum Collection

DC Museum site and construction in progress

$5 Million

All other assets net of liabilities

SOURCES OF INCOME

$169 Million $167 Million

Cash and promises to give

$2 Million

All other income

“

“WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD TO HAVE YOU (MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE) HERE AS AN INVESTOR AND AS A BEACON AND A STAR IN OUR NATION’S CAPITAL.” — Former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams 15

impact

GLADIATORS

BY THE HAND

A small team of elite young professionals who

Helping kids in inner city and high-risk neighborhoods through our Curriculum

WARRIORS OF GOD

dubbed themselves GlaDios (Gladiators, or Warriors of God) worked as docents during the 2016

Museum of the Bible’s curriculum program has

traveling exhibit in Santiago, Cuba. To keep the

made its way around the world yet also remains

exhibition alive after its departure, they created a

here, locally, in underserved communities to reach

unique traveling version of the La Biblia exhibit.

children in need.

Using only a few posters with images of the

“By the Hand”

original artifacts, this team reached hundreds of

is a program

people sharing what they learned. This effort was

dedicated to

recognized by a generous sponsor who provided

helping kids

700 Bibles, as well as new, improved vinyl posters,

in inner city

so GlaDios could ensure that more people would

and high-risk

experience the Bible in a new way.

neighborhoods

“I DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABUT THE BIBLE, AND LOOK HOW SMART I AM NOW!”

to develop skills within their mind, body, and soul. The curriculum program is being pilot-tested in Chicago with 12- to 18-year-olds. In their first Museum of the Bible Bowl event, 35 students from four locations participated in a game of knowledge to see how much they had learned so far. Overwhelmingly positive results brought out comments such as: “I didn’t know anything abut the Bible, and look how smart I am now!” The students were impressed with how they were able to tackle challenging material and got excited to see how valuable reading the Bible is in their own lives.

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STORIES NICK ZOLA My life-changing journey via Museum of the Bible Scholars Initiative program Nick Zola, Assistant Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, Lincoln Christian University — “I am excited to be starting a tenure-track position teaching New Testament at Pepperdine University in Fall 2016. In many ways, it was my involvement with the Museum of the Bible Scholars Initiative that opened the door to this new position. I was introduced to the Scholars Initiative as a doctoral student at Baylor University, where I had the privilege of working on an unpublished fragment of Paul’s letter to the Romans.

Upon taking my first full-time teaching position at Lincoln Christian University, I was able to transition from student to mentor and begin leading a group of my own students to edit a new fragment. And it was through the Scholars Initiative that I first made the acquaintance of mentors working on the Pepperdine team. When a faculty position opened at Pepperdine, I was already a known figure to members

“...IT WAS MY INVOLVEMENT WITH THE MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE SCHOLARS INITIATIVE THAT OPENED THE DOOR TO THIS NEW POSITION.”

of the search committee, initiated by my work with the Scholars Initiative. Being a co-editor on two unpublished fragments of the New Testament significantly bolstered my CV. So I am tremendously grateful to [Museum of the Bible] for making these opportunities available to me both as a student and as a professor, as it has already had a tremendous impact on my young career.”

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all people WE INVITE

TO ENGAGE WITH THE BIBLE Museum of the Bible is an innovative, global, educational institution whose purpose is to invite all people to engage with the history, narrative, and impact of the Bible.

Through Museum of the Bible, people around the world will discover the most important book of all time!

Yes, it’s a mammoth undertaking, a project massive in scope and reach.

But success is near, thanks to the commitment and dedication of many … aligned around the vision of inviting all people, everywhere — people of all faith traditions and backgrounds — to engage with the Bible in the most imaginative and innovative of ways.

You’re invited!

We warmly invite you to help us reach the starting line ... the museum’s Grand Opening! Let the Bible be your legacy, as you share it with the world through Museum of the Bible.

Thank you for being part of the adventure!

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2016

“

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:

2017 Construction photo from our “Topping Out” celebration, paired with a render of that section of the museum. We cannot wait to see what it will look like in just a few short months!

“I am especially thankful that Museum of the Bible is committed to teaching one of the oldest and bestselling books in the world, the Bible. Through narrative, history, and impact lessons, Museum of the Bible is placing the Bible, and the valuable lessons one can learn from it, in the hands of children around the world.”

— FORMER FIRST LADY, LAURA BUSH

“Museum of the Bible is one of the most brilliant and well-executed projects I have ever been a part of.”

— PASTOR RICK WARREN

Young Lexi Camaur was seeking a project to donate her tithe to, and after seeing a Museum of the Bible event, turned to her parents and said, “This is what I have been saving for.” She is the youngest donor of 2016 at 13 years old.

— LEXI CAMAUR, MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE’S YOUNGEST DONOR (2016)

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thank you MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE IS REACHING AROUND THE WORLD THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF INSPIRED FRIENDS LIKE YOU!

Your efforts are reaching multitudes through our traveling exhibits, you’re sharing the Bible with tens of thousands of schoolchildren through our Bible curriculum, you’re fueling our groundbreaking research, and more!

Museum of the Bible P.O. Box 15479 Washington, DC 20003-0479