Museums Dedicated To Mysterious Subjects Are Coming To Southwest

The future Museum of the Bible and the International Spy Museum, located three minutes from each other, both endeavor to illuminate enigmatic subjects. Their arrival should pique the interest of tourists and locals alike.

Museum of the Bible

The eight-floor, 430K SF Museum of the Bible will open in November, three blocks south of the Capitol, at 409 Third St. SW.

The $500M facility will use technology to enhance and render accessible the narrative of the sacred text, explaining its symbolism and allegory. It will show how varied interpretations of its words have caused conflicts with innumerable historical implications.

Stewards carefully curated nine days worth of content designed to appeal to theologians, the devout and secular individuals with limited biblical knowledge alike. The museum will also feature a ballroom, a performing arts hall, a rooftop biblical garden and a 140-foot LED ceiling screen in the lobby.

International Spy Museum

The International Spy Museum is expanding and moving from its current home at 800 F St. NW to L’Enfant Plaza in Southwest. After a year and a half of negotiations, L’Enfant Plaza owner JBG announced its deal with the museum last June.

Construction of the 140K SF facility formally commenced in September. Mayor Muriel Bowser aided the project’s financing efforts with $50M in lower interest rate, tax-exempt bonds.

The museum’s creator, U.S. Navy veteran Milton Maltz, emphasizes the importance of its mission — educating the population about intelligence-gathering strategies, technologies and key intelligence individuals. Although the three change over time, their prominence in world politics does not. The museum is projected to open spring 2018.