The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which is located in Simi Valley, California, opened a new exhibit on Friday featuring the Dead Sea Scrolls. The new exhibit, created in partnership with the Israel Antiquities Authority, provides guests with a better understanding of the “history, culture, and religious practices of ancient Judaism and the early foundations of Christianity.”
A recent press release by the Ronal Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute stated, “The exhibit will mark the Dead Sea Scrolls’ return to the U.S.A. for the first time in almost a decade and will celebrate the 75th anniversary of one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in modern history.”
The archaeological display, which is called “Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition,” will highlight the historical discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of ancient Jewish manuscripts. The scrolls, which were discovered between 1947 and 1956 in caves near the Dead Sea, are dated from 250 BCE to 68 CE, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute. The press release noted that many of the scrolls featured in the library’s latest exhibit “have never been seen outside Israel.”
One of the first Dead Sea Scroll fragments to be displayed in the library’s new exhibit is a Hebrew sheet from the Great Psalms Scroll, which was discovered in Cave 11, according to the press release.
READ MORE: Pics: 1,000-year-old Viking treasure discovered
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute announced that the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit will include roughly 200 artifacts from the Israel Antiquities Authority, including the Magdala Stone, the Sea of Galilee Boat, the Psalm Scroll, Tyrian shekels, artifacts form Masada, and ossuaries used in Jewish secondary burial.
Highlighting the significance of the new exhibit, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute President & CEO David Trulio said, “It’s a profound honor to host the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Reagan Library on the 75th anniversary of the discovery. The Dead Sea Scrolls are foundational to the development of the great monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. President Reagan was deeply shaped by his faith, and we are proud to bring these ancient treasures to the public.”
In the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute’s press release, Israel Antiquities Authority Director Eli Escusido added, “The Israel Antiquities Authority is proud to be part of such an important exhibition.”
The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit will remain on display until the fall of 2025.
