Museum of the Bible expects capacity crowds for opening
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — When the Museum of the Bible throws open its bronze doors Nov. 17, it will invite the world to engage with the Great Book free.
But not everyone will get in.
Washington’s newest museum is expecting capacity crowds for its opening celebration, beginning with a formal dedication Friday and stretching through the weekend. All of the timed tickets for Saturday and Sunday have been distributed, officials said, and most weekend tickets have been snapped up through midDecember. Midweek spots are available as soon as Monday afternoon.
Advance tickets are available free on the museum website. They are not required for entry, but they will take the gamble out of a visit, officials said.
“We’re going to do everything we can” to get people in, a museum vice president, Steve Bickley, said. “But we strongly encourage tickets.”
The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will remain open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays through the end of the year. Members and groups can enter starting at 8 a.m.
The museum’s extended hours will allow for daily attendance as high as 15,000, Mr. Bickley said. Officials don’t know how long guests will stay, so that makes it difficult to judge the exact number of visitors it can admit. The museum can hold about 5,000 people at a time, he said.
Officials have sought advice from the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened to great fanfare and large crowds last year. The museums are similar in size and can handle about the same number of visitors at one time. Visitors to the newest Smithsonian museum are staying several times longer than a typical, two-hour stay.
Admission to the $500 million, 430,000-square foot facility is free, with a suggested donation of $15 for adults and $10for children 12 and under.
The museum decided to use free ticketing to control crowds and reduce wait times. The National Museum of African American History and Culture introduced free passes when it opened last year; the Smithsonian museum, which does not charge admission, continues to distribute daily and advance passes online.
Bible museum visitors can obtain tickets on the web at museumofthebible.org. Guests can also reserve admission for special activities, including the Washington Revelations, a Disney-like ride that costs $8 a person, the archaeological exhibit focused on David and Goliath, also $8 and a host of guided tours. Other activities are free but require a separate timed ticket for entry.
Mr. Bickley said reservations have come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. So far 1,600 tour groups have booked spots, many for hours before the museum is open to the public.