Ceremony Marks Start of Work on the Museum of the Bible

Construction of the 430,000 square-foot Museum of the Bible formally began as crews performed surgical demolition of a Washington, D.C., building in front of a crowd of media yesterday. Over the next two years, a Clark project team will transform three buildings, including a historic warehouse, into the eight-story museum that will house the world's most comprehensive collection of Bible artifacts and history.

"We've partnered with the best construction and design teams in the world to make Museum of the Bible an engaging, inviting, and innovative place that people all over the world will want to visit," said Museum of the Bible President Cary Summers.

Prior to the demolition, Summers and Clark's Senior Vice President Brian Flegel discussed the museum's numerous unique features. Visitors will approach the museum through a front entrance flanked by massive, textured bronze panels and stained glass depicting abstract biblical manuscripts. The museum's grand lobby will have a wall-to-wall LED ceiling; elevators also will have LED panels on three sides which will offer visitors an immersive experience. The museum will have three permanent exhibit floors that explore the impact, narrative, and history of the Bible. A two-story, window-clad, rooftop galley will feature a 500-seat performing-arts theater, garden restaurant, and a ballroom overlooking the National Mall and U.S. Capitol.

During his remarks, Summers noted that Clark and the design team members were selected because of their history in creating landmark museum spaces.

No stone was left unturned in the design process, and every square inch of this museum has been thought and re-thought," said Flegel after his presentation."Partnering with the Museum of the Bible team, all the exhibit designers, lighting specialists, architects and construction contractors have been given incredible artistic freedom to make this museum into one of the best in the world.”

You can learn more about the Museum of the Bible at museumofthebible.org.