Museum of the Bible, the 430,000-square-foot museum opening on Nov. 17 just three blocks from the U.S. Capitol, announced today it will not charge a fee for general admission. Similar to the admission policies of other museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, Museum of the Bible will instead suggest a $15 donation, with guests under no obligation to pay anything. Museum of the Bible will also offer guests the ability to reserve timed-entry tickets.
"Our mission is to invite all people to engage with the Bible," said Museum of the Bible President Cary Summers. "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."
Guests will be able to get timed tickets in advance online. Reservations for timed entry will be limited and are available to the public starting Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. ET at museumoftheBible.org. Members of the museum will get access to reserve timed entry on Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. ET.
The Basic Membership plan starts at $60 for an individual or $150 for families. The museum offers numerous membership options which continue up to the $1,000 Founding Champion level and beyond.
"Membership to the museum is a great way to get year-round early access to beat the lines and show your support for the Bible," saidTony Zeiss, executive director of the museum in Washington. "Members make visitors possible, and each individual or family who commits annually will give people from around the world access to engage with the history, narrative and impact of the Bible."
The museum will comprise eight floors, including expansive exhibit and gallery space, visiting libraries and temporary exhibit space, a restaurant and biblical garden, a performing arts theater, a grand ballroom, and event space. In total, the museum's immense amount of content could take the average person many days to view.
Museum of the Bible has been recognized by CNN as one of the most anticipated and beautifully designed museums opening in 2017; by Smithsonian.com as one of the "must-see" museums opening this year; and by Forbes as one of the top 100 nonprofits in the U.S. Other national media attention around the opening of the museum has come from Time, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Fox News and many other media organizations.
A full breakdown of all available membership plans is available at museumoftheBible.org/join.
About Museum of the Bible
Museum of the Bible is an innovative, global, educational institution whose purpose is to invite all people to engage with the Bible. In 2017, Museum of the Bible, which aims to be the most technologically advanced museum in the world, will open its 430,000-square-foot nonprofit museum just three blocks from the Capitol in Washington, D.C. A digital fly-through of the museum is viewable here. A 360-degree hardhat tour of the museum is available here.
Website | museumoftheBible.org Twitter | @museumofBible
