Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are here. The first 56 volumes are compiled into the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December 2022.
Thanks for joining us for a Bible study that differs from our usual format — an interview with Carlos Campo, PhD, the Chief Executive Officer of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
Loyal readers know that I love writing about the Bible, and thanks to you, this study continues into its sixth year. However, readers don’t know that I also love visiting museums where one can have inspiring, unique, and memorable learning experiences. The Museum of the Bible is such a place. My husband and I first visited during the November 2017 opening weekend. Then, starting in 2018, our Shroud of Turin team spearheaded the Museum’s successful 2022 Shroud of Turin Exhibit.
Now in its eighth year, the museum has grown in stature and is internationally respected as a first-class research and educational institution. Moreover, it serves as a beacon of light for tourists and locals in a city that needs the Word of God.
In June 2024, the Bible Museum’s CEO, Harry Hargrave, retired after years of successful leadership. Harry was a friend who wrote the Foreword to my two Bible Study books, compilations of this weekly study.
Harry’s successor is Dr. Carlos Campo, an impressive man tasked with leading the museum into the future. Read his bio here. I am honored that Dr. Campo took the time to answer my questions, introduce himself, and familiarize Townhall readers with the world-renowned Museum of the Bible.
Myra Kahn Adams: After leading the Museum of the Bible for nine months, are you pleased with your progress?
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Carlos Campo: I am generally pleased with our progress, but I know we have more to accomplish. One area is the guest experience. We have enhanced several elements, including wayfinding, security flow, restaurant menus, and exciting exhibits. Now, each guest is properly oriented to get the most out of their museum experience. That progress presents a significant opportunity to expand membership and attendance in the days ahead. And I look forward to connecting with global partners to reach these goals.
MKA: What is your leadership vision?
CC: We are determined to stay true to our mission, standing firm as an evangelically led leadership team at a nonsectarian, non-proselytizing museum.
We also envision continuing to have world-class exhibits that will deepen our reputation as a tier-one museum. We have an international mission and want all people to engage with the transformative power of the Bible. To do that, we must be culturally relevant and sensitive while understanding the diverse nature of the billions of people who regularly read the Bible. Lastly, we also want to grow our membership and attendance here in Washington, D.C. Our goal is to be a caring member and contribute to the well-being of the greater metropolitan area.
MKA: Since the Museum of the Bible charges an entry fee, competing for visitors must be extremely challenging when the nearby Smithsonian museums offer free admission. How do you overcome that obstacle?
CC: We compete with free museums in Washington, D.C., by ensuring we provide an outstanding value proposition to every guest. While free museums are typical in Washington, D.C., several other museums charge an entry fee. Nationally, the pattern is that more museums are beginning to charge, and like any attraction, the Museum of the Bible must offer an extraordinary experience to all patrons. Fortunately, our surveys indicate that most attendees believe their visit was well worth it.
In particular, we have world-class exhibits that attract the attention of people from around the globe. Currently, we have an exhibit entitled the Megiddo Mosaic. This mosaic floor from the earliest Christian worship space was discovered in 2005 in Israel, but the general public is seeing it for the first time. Constructed in 230 A.D., the Mosaic is the oldest original reference to the deity of Jesus Christ. This kind of exhibit more than compensates for our nominal admission charge.
MKA: Since the Megiddo Mosaic is the “earliest archaeological evidence of Jesus being called God,” how are visitors responding after seeing such a rare ancient treasure?
CC: I am thrilled that the Megiddo Mosaic is rapidly becoming a pilgrimage site for Christians worldwide. In response, we have produced a documentary that is now available on the Angel Studios website. More than the increased attendance, our museum is transformed into a sacred space. I am also encouraged by how many young people are visiting.
MKA: Are there any future exhibits on par with the Megiddo Mosaic?
CC: Absolutely! In the fall of 2025, the museum will house the Dead Sea Scrolls. This exhibit will feature the most significant biblical archaeological find in history. Also on display will be the “Jesus Boat”— a 1st-century boat like the ones that Jesus would have traveled in. Additionally, visitors will see the “Magdala Stone,” an ancient stone recovered from a temple in Magdala, where Jesus may have visited.
MKA: The Museum is also an entertainment/event venue. Please explain how that enhances the museum’s mission to engage visitors with the transformative power of the Bible.
CC: Each day, the Museum sets out to do the impossible: Express the Bible's kaleidoscopic variety and power within our seven floors and 400,000-square-feet. To accomplish this goal, we tell our guests, from the youngest visitors to the most mature, that we truly have “something for everyone.”
For example, our children’s experience is appropriate for those aged 5 to 10. And our Disney-inspired ride takes guests on a flight through Washington, D.C., to discover where Scriptures are embedded throughout this city. There are also immersive video experiences and ancient texts from ancient Israel. When we tell people, “You must see it to believe it,” that is not just a slogan.
MKA: Dr. Campo, can you share a Bible verse that guides your leadership?
CC: In terms of my leadership, I have always been drawn to the opening verses of the 12th chapter of Romans. As many experts have said, Paul in these verses is reduced to beggary. He is imploring the church in Rome to respond to God’s mercy in the only appropriate way possible — by giving our entire lives to him for the extraordinary sacrifice He has made to us. Paul sees this as an act of worship, which has been animating my leadership for the last number of decades.
Although I can rarely fulfill the call of these verses as fully as I would like, I will always keep trying!
MKA: Dr. Campo, on behalf of Townhall, thank you for this interview.
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer with numerous national credits. Her book, "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible," reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. "Part 2,” with the same title, reprints Vols. 57 –113. Order it here.
She is also the Executive Director of the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit, dedicated to building a future permanent Shroud of Turin exhibit in Washington, D.C. Join our effort! In July, the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit hosted a four-day exhibit (with a “Chosen” VIP guest) at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN. Some new news. Contact: <MyraAdams01@gmail.com>
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