Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition, showcasing one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in modern history, heads to HMNS
Key Points:
- Beginning November 21 (members see it first November 20) HMNS will host the historic 75th-anniversary tour of Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition, bringing over 200 of Israel’s National Treasures to Houston.
- Due to the fragile nature of the 2,000-year-old manuscripts, original Dead Sea Scroll fragments will rotate three separate times during the exhibition run, allowing visitors the ability to experience different texts.
- The immersive exhibition also features some of the ancient world’s most significant archaeological discoveries, including the celebrated Magdala Stone, the Sea of Galilee Boat, often referred to as the “Jesus Boat,” as well as many never-before-toured artifacts.
HOUSTON, TX — One of history’s greatest archaeological discoveries is coming to Texas. The Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) is proud to announce it will host the historic 75th anniversary tour of Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition. Following its presentation in Washington, D.C., the exhibition offers visitors a firsthand experience of the ancient manuscripts from the collections of the Israel Antiquities Authority and their profound implications for our understanding of the history, culture, and religious practices of ancient Judaism and the early foundations of Christianity.
Developed by a curatorial team featuring Navit Popovich-Geller, Risa Levitt, and Joe Uziel, the exhibition is produced in coordination with Running Subway Productions and the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). From rare Dead Sea Scroll fragments recovered from the caves of Qumran to extraordinary archaeological discoveries from the Second Temple period, the exhibition offers an unprecedented glimpse into the history, culture, and religious traditions of the ancient world.
In 1947, a chance discovery by Bedouin shepherds in the limestone cliffs of the Judean Desert unearthed a time capsule that permanently reshaped the field of biblical archaeology. By pushing the antiquity of surviving texts back by a full millennium, the recovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls offered an unrivaled, firsthand look at the diverse religious philosophies, scribal traditions, and cultural landscapes that eventually shaped Western civilization.
Bringing this collection to HMNS marks a rare opportunity for the Greater Houston community and visitors from across the Lone Star State to stand face-to-face with the actual parchment and ink that survived centuries of isolation, as many of the scrolls in this rotating exhibit have never been seen outside Israel.
Beyond the Scrolls themselves, the exhibition presents some of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries from the first century. The exhibit will feature around 200 artifacts from Israel’s National Treasures of the Israel Antiquities Authority, including:
- The Magdala Stone, which dates to the Second Temple Period, features intricate carvings of the Temple. These carvings provide insights into the role of synagogues as sacred spaces prior to the Temple’s destruction and showcase the earliest known synagogue images of the Temple Menorah.
- The Sea of Galilee Boat, often referred to as the “Jesus Boat,” a 1st-century CE fishing boat discovered in 1986 along the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Unearthed during a severe drought, the reconstruction measures 27 feet in length and 7.5 feet in width and includes wood from the original vessel.
- Ossuaries, small stone receptacles used for secondary burial. They represent burial practices unique to the Second Temple Jewish population, bearing decorative reliefs and inscriptions. These ossuaries teach us about early Jewish beliefs regarding the afterlife, as well as the importance social structure given to family life and death.
- Objects from Masada, a natural fortress in the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea, a key site in the struggle between Jewish rebels and the Roman Empire almost two thousand years ago. Items on display include Aramaic, Hebrew and Latin ostraca—small potsherds bearing writing, botanical remains such as pomegranate peels, walnut shells and olive pits; and imported textiles.
- Tyrian shekels, that were minted in Tyre, were the only coin accepted as the annual Temple tax, mentioned in the New Testament, and contributed by males above 20 years old.
Because of the delicate nature of the ancient parchment and papyrus, the featured scroll fragments will be presented across three distinct, consecutive gallery rotations:
- Initial Rotation: Features fragments from Genesis-Exodus, Deuteronomy, Targum Job, Blessings “Berakhot,” Pesher Psalms A, Enoch, Community Rule, and Time of Righteousness.
- Second Rotation: Features fragments of Psalms, alongside Joshua, Words of the Luminaries, Book of War (Sefer haMilhamah), Beatitudes, Damascus Document, and Commentary on Genesis A.
- Final Rotation: Features texts of Pseudo Ezekiel, Miqsat Ma’aśe ha-Torah “Some Works of the Law,” Targum Job, Exodus, Astronomical Enoch, Instruction (Musar leMevin), Blessings “Berakhot,” and Isaiah.
“Hosting these exceptional artifacts offers our community an incredible opportunity to connect directly with the foundational history of human culture and scholarship,” said Dr. Dirk Van Tuerenhout, Curator of Anthropology and Director of Collections for HMNS. “The discovery of these texts pushed our understanding of biblical manuscripts back by more than a thousand years, fundamentally changing global archaeology. We are thrilled to bring an exhibition of this magnitude to Texas.”
The exhibition also explores the modern intersection of science and history through multispectral imaging and advanced conservation techniques that enable researchers to recover faded writing and preserve these priceless manuscripts for future generations.
More than an exhibition, Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition offers visitors an extraordinary opportunity to encounter the people, places, and writings that helped shape history. Through original manuscripts, monumental artifacts, immersive experiences, and groundbreaking archaeology, guests will gain a deeper appreciation for one of humanity’s most influential discoveries.
Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition is on display at HMNS beginning November 21 (members see it first November 20). For ticket prices or more information, visit www.hmns.org or call (713) 639-4629.
The exhibition was created by the Israel Antiquities Authority from the collections of the National Treasures.
Lead Corporate Sponsor: Woodforest National Bank
Additional local support is provided by the John P. McGovern Foundation, The Harriet and Truett Latimer Endowment Fund, Monica and Fox Benton, David DeVido, The Harry S. & Isabel C. Cameron Foundation, Robert R. and Kay M. Onstead Foundation, Sterling-Turner Foundation, The Gordon A. Cain Foundation, Lois Davis, Susan and David Lazarus, Dr. and Mrs. Carl V. Vartian, Cyvia Wolff, Annie and Bob Graham, Stacie and Johnsa Kennedy, Nancy and David Pustka, Barbara Radnofsky and Ed Supkis, Lillie Robertson, and Lisa and John Walker.
About Houston Museum of Natural Science
The Houston Museum of Natural Science—one of the nation’s most heavily attended museums—is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District. With five floors of permanent exhibit halls, and the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and George Observatory and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Museum has something to delight every age group. With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located at 5555 Hermann Park Drive in the heart of the Museum District, is always an adventure.
About the Israel Antiquities Authority
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) serves as the official state entity entrusted with safeguarding, studying, and sharing Israel’s vast archaeological heritage. Based at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem, the IAA manages hundreds of preservation projects and active excavations annually to ensure the world’s ancient treasures are protected and accessible to the public.
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