About the Exhibition

The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition has concluded its run at
the Science Museum of Minnesota.

The Dead Sea Scrolls—objects of great mystery, intrigue, and cultural and spiritual significance—are widely acknowledged to be among the greatest archaeological treasures ever discovered. This spring at the Science Museum, you will get the rare opportunity to see them up-close—and discover the historical and cultural context that makes them so important.

The scrolls, some of which are more than 2,000 years old, include fragments of the earliest known texts of the Bible. After their initial discovery by a shepherd in caves along the shores of Israel's Dead Sea near the ancient settlement of Qumran, archaeologists have excavated and pieced together thousands of scroll fragments into more than 900 separate documents—from biblical manuscripts and commentary to religious legal writings. These ancient Hebrew writing fragments are now archived and conserved by the Israel Antiquities Authority and, on rare occasion, are put on public display at world-class museums.

The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition brings these archaeological treasures to the Science Museum, along with artifacts that will give you a glimpse into life in Israel during the famous Second Temple Period. Discover the most recent scientific interpretations from scholars around the world and draw your own conclusions about who their authors were and how they fit into the foundation of western thought and tradition.

At the conclusion of The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition, which showcases the oldest-known hand-scribed record of the Hebrew Bible, you'll see The Saint John's Bible, which represents history's newest illustrated hand-written Bible. A work of art that illuminates the world today, it's the first complete, handwritten and illuminated Bible to be commissioned in 500 years. It uses ancient techniques—it's written on calf-skin vellum with quills, natural handmade inks, hand-ground pigments and gold leaf—to present themes, images and technology of the 21st century. The result is a project that has monumental artistic and spiritual significance for our time. And it originated right here in Minnesota.

It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see priceless archaeological discoveries and works of art that have enormous personal meaning to people around the world. Don't miss your opportunity to see this extraordinary special exhibition.

Photography is not permitted in The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition.

Download The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition floor map here. (PDF | 221 KB)

The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition was created by the Israel Antiquities Authority from the collections of the National Treasures in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota.

This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.