May 2012 –October 2012
Charlie & I took the tour with a group from our church. The creators of the exhibition took great care in presenting the objects in a fresh and intriguing way. Description cards made for interesting and historically precise reading, but this caused the lines of visitors to slow. Occasionally, I found the need to skip ahead of the line. Not to worry--a fine paperback from the exhibition shop covers anything I may have missed.
I did take the time to read all of the translated material from the fragments displayed at the end of the exhibition. Charlie pointed out to me that there are not actually any scrolls on display, which was a disappointment to him. However, the experience was satisfying and I recommend a visit before the close the end of October.
The Franklin Institute is a wonderful place to bring children of all ages. Small children might not enjoy lingering in the Dead Sea Scroll exhibit. There is quite a bit of reading material and no interactive displays. School age children can catch the essence of the exhibit if parents move through quickly and give brief explanations.