Materializing the Bible
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  • Attractions
    • Re-Creations >
      • Holy Land replicas, Noah's Arks, and More
      • Catholic Grottoes & Shrines
      • Live Biblical Theatre
      • Wilderness Tabernacles
    • Biblical Gardens >
      • Protestant gardens
      • Catholic gardens
      • Jewish gardens
      • Public gardens
    • Creationist sites
    • Bible History Museums
    • Past and Possible Parks
    • All attractions (year founded)
  • Tours
    • Re-Creations >
      • Nazareth Village
      • Garden of Hope
      • Fields of the Wood
      • Desert Christ Park
      • Biblical History Center
      • The Sorrowful Mother Shrine
      • Ave Maria Grotto
      • Museum Park Orientalis
      • Palestine Gardens
      • The Great Passion Play
      • Sight & Sound Theatres
    • Biblical Gardens >
      • Canberra, Australia
    • Creationist Sites >
      • Cabazon Dinosaurs
      • Noah's Ark Zoo Farm
    • Bible history museums >
      • Wycliffe Discovery Center
      • Museum of Biblical Art
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​Holy Land Replicas, Noah's Arks, & More

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Fields of the Wood Bible Park (Murphy, North Carolina, USA)
Garden of Gethsemane (Tucson, Arizona):
Replica depictions of Last Supper, Gethsemane, and other New Testament scenes.
Founded: 1938

The Great Passion Play (Eureka Springs, Arkansas):
Founded: 1968
The attraction's largest feature is the Holy Land tour: a "3-hour interactive Biblical teaching tour, [where] you will explore the ancient Middle-Eastern culture in which Jesus was raised and will meet characters from the time of Moses to the time of Christ." Also, there is an outdoor theatre that stages a daily Passion Play, a Tabernacle replica, and a Bible Museum.

Desert Christ Park (Yucca Valley, California):
Founded: 1951
Forty "snow-white" statues of Jesus' life and ministry  spread throughout a 3.5 acre park in the California desert.

The Walk at Shields (Indio, California):
23 statues depicting 14 scenes from the life of Jesus are spread throughout this date farm. Listen to audio narration for each scene on the website. 
Founded: 1924

Alta Sierra Biblical Gardens (Grass Valley, California):
Sculpture garden northeast of Sacramento, on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada foothills, featuring 20 characters and scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
Founded: 1997

​​Salvation Mountain (Niland, California):
Biblically-inspired landscape art, with painted scriptural verses and a Sea of Galilee.
Founded: 1984

​Forest Lawn Museum (Glendale, California)
Founded: 1952

Legacy International Center (San Diego, California)
Founded: 2019

Garden Worship Center (Belleview, Florida):
Built on the 20 acre property of an evangelical church, the worship center features replicas of Jesus' tomb, Jacob's well, Sea of Galilee, and garden flora of date palms, olive trees, grape harbors, fig trees, almond trees, and mustard plants.
Founded: 2016

Biblical History Center (La Grange, Georgia):
Founded: 2006
A one hour drive southwest of Atlanta, the Center (formerly Explorations in Antiquities Center) gathers various Holy Land sites and scenes. A large focus is on elements of everyday life, including a goat hair tent, olive press, tombs, and vineyards. A gallery showcases over 200 "ancient artifacts," and visitors can schedule a "biblical meal" in rooms modeled after "ancient cities" from the first century.

The Effingham Cross (Effingham, Illinois):
​Founded: 2001
198-foot cross at junction of I-70/I-57, surrounded at base by interactive 10 Commandment display. 

The Shrine of Christ's Passion (St. John, Indiana):
Founded: 2001
This "multi-media interactive, half-mile winding prayer trail" uses 40 "life-size" bronze sculptures to show Jesus' final days.

Last Supper Museum (Greensburg, Indiana):
Founded: 2006

S.P. Dinsmoor's Garden of Eden (Lucas, Kansas):
An outsider art installation that features numerous sculptures, many of which are interpretations of the Genesis garden. ​
Founded: 1907

Garden of Gethsemane (Munfordville, Kentucky)
Founded: c.2007

Biblical mini-golf (Lexington, Kentucky):
Golf holes that invoke the Days of Creation, Noah's ark, Garden of Eden, Mt. Sinai, and the Star of Bethlehem.
Founded: 1988

Jerusalem Model (Pineville, Kentucky)
Founded: c.1970

Garden of Hope (Covington, Kentucky):
Founded: 1958
2.5 acre attraction tucked away on the backside of a working class residential neighborhood. The main feature, a Garden Tomb replica, is complemented by a Sermon on the Mount statue and landscape materials from Israel-Palestine (e.g., stone from the Jordan River). The attraction affords a tremendous view of the Cincinnati skyline and is usually washed by the sound of I-75 passing traffic, which flows directly below the hilltop location.

Biblical Sand Sculptures (Ocean City, Maryland)
Founded: 1981

Ratner Museum (Bethesda, Maryland):
Biblical art in multiple media, including sculpture series on "Genesis, Song of Songs, Exodus, and Heroes."
Founded: 2000

Palestine Gardens (Lucedale, Mississippi):
"A life long project to tell others about Jesus." The scale model includes The Jordan River, ruins of Jericho, a palace of Herod, and New Testament villages like Samaria and Galilee.
Founded: 1960

Pathway Through the Bible (Joliet, Montana):
Grotto-style art environment with depictions of Solomon's Porch, Adam and Eve, Daniel in the Lion's Den, Lazarus, and others.
Founded: 1957

Last Supper (Beatty, Nevada):
Founded: 1984

Mechanical Biblical Panorama (Oak Ridge, New Jersey)

Palestine Park (Chautauqua, New York):
Founded: 1874
Chautauqua Lake acts as the Mediterranean Sea, and other natural features stand in for Mount Hermon, Dead Sea, Jordan River, Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor, and the Mount of Olives.

Jewish Children's Museum (Brooklyn, New York):
Numerous biblical re-creations on site, from 7 species garden to Tabernacle, Abraham's tent, and parted Red Sea.
Founded: 2004

Fields of the Wood Bible Park (Murphy, North Carolina):
Founded: 1944
Replicas of Golgotha and the Garden Tomb and "the world's largest 10 Commandments."

Living Bible Museum (Mansfield, Ohio):
This "wax museum" uses 300+ "life-size" figurines to depict 70 biblical scenes. There are two main tours, one depicting Old Testament "miracles" and other New Testament scenes from the life of Jesus.
Founded: 1987

Zoar Village Revelation Garden (Zoar, Ohio):
Founded: 1820
Created by the Society of the Separatists of Zoar, a German communitarian group. The village garden is inspired by Revelation 21 and represents the theological lesson of "many paths to Christ." A tall spruce tree in the center represents Jesus, while 12 surrounding trees represent the disciples. Today's garden reflects a restoration effort that began in 1960, after the original garden was dismantled in the 1920s to build tennis courts.

Elijah Pierce Gallery (Columbus, Ohio):
Biblical art collection from famed American woodcarver.
Founded: 1987

Holy City of the Wichitas (Lawton, Oklahoma):
Founded: 1935

Plywood Last Supper (Ridgeville, South Carolina)

Valtiroty Bible Land Park and Tabernacle (Mitchell, South Dakota):
Founded: 2013

The Everlasting Nation Museum (Hixson, Tennessee):
Founded: 2018

Christian Art Museum (Nashville, Tennessee):
"Life-sized" wooden Last Supper sculpture. 
Founded: 1953

Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens (Gatlinburg, Tennessee):
Set in the Smoky Mountains, this attraction features "incredibly lifelike scenes telling the Story of Christ."
Founded: 2009

Crystal Shrine Grotto (Memphis, Tennessee):
Founded: 1943
Free to the public and located inside an urban cemetery, the site features replications of biblical scenes.

Museum of Biblical Arts (Dallas, Texas):
Museum exhibits "historical and contemporary works of art and interest that encourage study, appreciation, and discourse in regards to the evident role of Biblical themes in art history, the humanities, and world culture." In May 2015, the museum added a Stations of the Cross "sculpture garden."
Founded: 1967

The Coming King Sculpture Prayer Gardens (Kerrville, Texas):
Founded: 2005

The Cross Ministries (Groom, Texas):
Multiple sculptures on site, including: Last Supper, Stations of the Cross, and others.
Founded: 1995

Grace Church, PC-USA (Corpus Christi, Texas):
Garden with replicas of the Western Wall, Calvary, Garden Tomb, Stations of the Gross, olive trees and vineyard.
Founded: 1970

Congregation B'Nai Zion (El Paso, Texas):
"A living map of the State of Israel," built in 1999, featuring replicas of the Western Wall and Masada.
Founded: 1999

​Capernaum First Century Village (Weatherford, Texas):
Re-created village, Garden Tomb replica, and several interactive experiences offered regularly. Founded: 2005

The Ark at Cornerstone Church (San Antonio, Texas):
Children's building at Texas megachurch; this replication of Noah's Ark is 28,400 square feet and includes animatronic animals, wall murals, and other immersive features.
Founded: 2013

1st century Jerusalem at Temple Square North Visitors' Center (Salt Lake City, Utah):
14-square foot floor model replica. 
Founded: c. 2000

Gilgal Sculpture Garden (Salt Lake City, Utah):
Founded: 1945
Collection of sculptures includes re-creations from the Old Testament books of Job, Malachi, Daniel, and Ecclesiastes. 

​Bibel Welt (Salzburg, Austria):
Founded: 2009
"More of an adventure playground than a typical museum," experience a market and map of Paul's journey. Enter through "a gigantic ear"!

City of Refuge (South Andros, Bahamas):
Founded: 2016
20 acre attraction is sponsored by "Bahamas Global Impact, Prayer and Fasting Network." A video documentary of the park's making by the founders explains: "It's biblical, it's ecological, it's geological!" City of Refuge will feature 49 Holy Land sites, including the Upper Room, Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, and Jericho Road.

Temple of Solomon (Sau Paulo, Brazil):
Founded: 2014
This "exact replica" of Solomon's Temple was created by the neo-Pentecostal Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Portions of the attraction were built using stones flown in from Israel and inside is a replica of the Ark of the Covenant.

Noah's Ark (Hong Kong, China):
Founded: 2009
"Full-scale" replica of the ark on Ma Wan Island. The replica is part of a larger park with other attractions, and the ark's interior serves as a hotel and conference venue. The park "aims to foster family values and teach love, social harmony and care for the environment."

Biblical Garden of Peace (Kalnik, Croatia):
Sculpture garden featuring 32 characters from the Old Testament, New Testament, and Church tradition.
Founded: 2000

Elstedhaven (Elsted, Denmark): 
Stones etched with Bible passages, models of biblical sites, stone crosses, and miniatures illustrating various parables.
Founded: c.1940

The Jesse Tree (Malvern, England):
Art and botanicals on several themes: Creation, Garden of Eden, Old Testament, New Testament, Resurrection, and World Church.
Founded: 2008

The Knitted Bible (Hartlepool, England):
Founded: 2008

Lalibela (Lalibela, Ethiopia):
Collection of rock-hewn churches, modeled on city of Jerusalem and including several biblical replicas.
Founded: 12th century

Musee de Cire (Lourdes, France):
Founded: 1974

Jesus Land (Zwonitz, Germany):
Founded: 2014

​Bibeldorf (Rietberg, Germany)
Founded: 2003

Bible Garden (Germany):
​Old and New Testament replicas.
Founded: 2007

Biblegarden Oberlichtenau-Pulsnitz (Pulsnitz, Germany):
"Outdoor museum with the atmosphere of biblical Israel."
Founded: 2005

​Bible Garden (Wagenfeld, Germany):
Founded: 2013
Walking path of biblical replicas.

Panorama of the Crucifixion of Christ (Altotting, Germany):
Founded: 1903
Explore the sonic choreography of the attraction here & here (begins, 2:38)

Bible Eco-Village (Western Galilee, Israel):
Founded: 1980

Brigham Young Center (Jerusalem, Israel):
Replicas of first century life. 

Bible Times Center (Ein Karem, Israel):
Replicas of first century life and biblical meals.
Founded: 2008

​Nazareth Village (Nazareth, Israel):
Founded: 2000
A living history museum depicts the rural Nazareth of Jesus' youth, set amid contemporary Nazareth's urbanism. Attraction "features a carefully researched re-creation of Jesus' hometown. The original farm has been restored with olive trees, terraces, ancient wine press, irrigation system and stone quarry. Exact replicas of first century houses, synagogue, mikveh and olive presses have been carefully built using the same methods that would have been used by Joseph the carpenter."

Kefar Kedem (Hosha'aya, Israel):
Located just north of Nazareth, this attraction re-creates everyday activities "just the way it was done in ancient times." Visitors dress in period clothing to make bread, oil, cheese, wine, and tend the flocks.
Founded: 1992

Yad Hashmona Biblical Garden (Yad HaShmona, Israel):
Founded: 2000
A three-star hotel, located northwest of Jerusalem, features "a variety of biblical plants and trees as well as reconstructed buildings and agricultural tools from biblical times."

Temple Institute (Jerusalem, Israel):
Located in the Old City's Jewish quarter, the Institute is more pre-creation than re-creation. "The major focus of the Institute is its efforts towards the beginning of the actual rebuilding of the Holy Temple. Towards this end, the Institute has begun to restore and construct the sacred vessels for the service of the Holy Temple... They are made according to the exact specifications of the Bible, and have been constructed from the original source materials, such as gold, copper, silver and wood. These are authentic, accurate vessels, not merely replicas or models."
Founded: 1987

Holy Land Sailing (Tiberias, Israel):
At this attraction, visitors sail around the Sea of Galilee in a wooden boat, "an exact replica of the famous boats that played a key role in Jesus' life." The boats are modeled after a 1986 archaeological discovery of a "2000 year old" wooden boat in the Sea.
Founded: c.1990

Genesis Land (Yishuv Alon, Israel):
Desert camping, biblical meals, workshops, and living history re-enactments.

Jerusalem Wall of Life (Jerusalem, Israel):
Mural art depicting biblical timeline, Genesis to Revelation. Stretches more than 100 yards in length. 
Founded: 2013

The Holy Land (Castrocaro, Italy): 
A replica on 200 square meters of land, built at the home of outsider artist Roberto Albertelli. Claims to include stones "taken secretly from the Golgotha."
Founded: c. 1980

Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Nairobi, Kenya):
Features Ark of the Covenant replica and a Garden of Gesthemene statue series. 
Founded: 2015

Museumpark Orientalis (Landstichting, Netherlands):
This Dutch attraction features various replicas of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sites. The "museum" is both indoor and outdoor and is "as if walking through a different world."
Founded: 1911

Holy Land (Subic, Philippines):
Founded: 2012

Baguio Eco Park (Baguio, Philippines):
Located a four hour drive north of Manila, this Holy Land replica is one of three attractions in the Eco Park, alongside a science museum and "dinosaur island." Scenes include the Garden of Eden, Moses' exodus, Egyptian pyramids, and Jesus' "way of the cross."
Founded: 2014

Salem Biblical Garden (Cape Winelands, South Africa):
Founded: 2011​
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Panorama of the Crucifixion of Christ (Einsiedeln, Switzerland):
Installed in specially designed building for viewing, the circular painting measures 10 meters high and 100 meters long.
Founded: 1893

Diorama Bethlehem (Einsiedeln, Switzerland):
Includes 30 meter panorama painting and over 450 wood-carved figures. 
Founded: 1954
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