Museum of the Bible

Located just three blocks from the U.S. Capitol, the Museum of the Bible offers an immersive journey through the Bible’s history, stories, and global impact. Spanning 430,000 square feet, it features cutting-edge exhibitions and rare artifacts, including early copies of Scripture, the Megiddo Mosaic, and pages from a Gutenberg Bible. Visitors can engage with interactive exhibits, dine at Milk + Honey Café, and enjoy free access to the First Floor and Mezzanine on select Tuesdays each month.

Planning your visit

The Museum of the Bible occupies 430,000 square feet three blocks from the Capitol, and it covers the Bible's history, narrative and cultural impact across several floors — the transmission of texts, translation history, archaeology of the ancient Near East, and the book's influence on art, music, law and politics. Holdings include early scripture fragments, pages from a Gutenberg Bible, Torah scrolls and the Megiddo Mosaic, one of the earliest known Christian prayer halls, on loan from Israel.

The museum has faced significant scrutiny over provenance. Artefacts were returned to Iraq and Egypt after being found to have been improperly acquired, and fragments once presented as Dead Sea Scrolls were determined to be modern forgeries and removed. The institution has since strengthened its acquisition and research practices, and it is worth knowing this history as context for what is displayed.

The presentation is well produced and technologically ambitious, with immersive walkthroughs and a rooftop garden with Capitol views.

Bookable options include exclusive early admission tickets, which give access before general opening, and tickets for specific special exhibitions. Some first-floor and mezzanine access is free on selected Tuesdays. Current availability is shown below.