Epic Archaeological Discoveries, Bible Manuscripts and More: New Details Revealed About the 'Museum of the Bible

Bible enthusiasts interested in learning more about the Museum of the Bible — the monumental project being spearheaded by the Green family, owners of the Hobby Lobby craft story chain — will be happy to learn that the building will be complete and open to the public in fall 2017.

Joining an array of historical monuments and educational institutes throughout Washington, D.C., the Museum of the Bible's 430,000 square-foot space will offer visitors the opportunity to learn more about the history behind the world's most read, sold and studied book.

"Displaying artifacts from the Green Collection, one of the world’s largest private collections of rare biblical texts and artifacts, the museum will present the Bible’s impact, history and narrative through a series of high-tech exhibits, immersive settings and interactive experiences built for guests of all ages," boasts a press release.

Exterior, aerial rendering of Museum of the Bible, located just two blocks from the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (Smith Group JJR)

While the museum's doors won't be open for three more years, that hasn't stopped organizers from releasing some specific details about what the public will find inside.

From exploring the Bible's impact on the past to seeing how scriptures play out in contemporary life, visitors will be able to observe the holy book's full impact on government, music and the arts, among other sectors.

Patrons will also be able to look at ancient archaeological finds and rare copies of the Bible that collectively provide a lens into the way Christians once lived.

See a fact sheet providing additional details below:

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"We invite everyone — adults and children, the intellectually curious and most seasoned of scholars alike — to Museum of the Bible to explore the most important and influential book ever written," Steve Green, chairman of the Museum of the Bible board, said in a statement.

The new museum, which will charge a "modest" but yet-to-be-decided admission price, will find its home in the old Washington Design Center building, which was originally constructed in 1920. Read more about the museum here and here.

If you're wondering, more specifically, what might be found in the museum, consider that the Green Collection contains a plethora of biblical gems.  A Jewish prayer book found in the collection last year, for instance, is believed to be the oldest text of its kind ever found.

A rendering of “Abraham’s Tent,” an immersive storytelling space, located on Museum of the Bible's fourth floor, which is dedicated to the narratives of the Bible. The Narrative floor is being designed by Oscar-nominated firm BRC Imagination Arts of Burbank, California, whose portfolio includes the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and The Magic of Disney Animation in Disney’s Hollywood Studio Orlando. (BRC Imagination Arts)

The small book, which had a Carbon-14 test that placed its origins to 840 A.D., is likely to provide fascinating insight into early Jewish culture.

As a press release announcing the find highlighted last year: it “may well be the earliest connection today’s practicing Jews have to the roots of their modern-day rabbinic liturgy.”

You can read more about that book here.