BIBLEWALK

August 4, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

By LINDA M. LINONIS

mansfield, ohio

Julia Mott-Hardin, director of BibleWalk, said she sees firsthand how depictions of people and events from the Old and New Testaments affect visitors.

A common thread is how many have read the Bible throughout their lives, she said, but seeing the stories “come to life” at the museum has helped them “understand” the Bible.

“I believe that 99 percent of visitors come out a different person,” Hardin said. “They’re affected by what they see. They feel the love of God.”

Hardin said the museum is celebrating its 25th year by offering 25-cent tours from Aug. 12-17. It opened Aug. 15, 1987.

The museum was originally known as the Living Bible Museum. Its name was changed to BibleWalk about 15 years ago to honor Bill Warren, who had an outdoor Bible walk in the Pittsburgh area. Pastor Richard Diamond and his wife, Alwilda, who spearheaded plans for the museum, met with Warren, who donated the first 22 figures. The beginning of the museum was forged at Diamond Hill Cathedral, where three scenes were displayed — The Last Supper, Jesus and the Children and The Woman at the Well — in 1983.

Hardin said the museum attracts about 40,000 visitor annually. She said recently that during nine days in May, visitors to the museum hailed from Canada, China, England, Guatamela, India, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa and Thailand and 24 of the 50 U.S. states. Though she admitted the museum may not have been their primary destination, its four-star attraction rating in tour guides sparks interest.

From its modest beginning, the museum continually has added to its displays. It offers four main tours.

“The Life of Christ” 60-minute tour begins with prophesies in the Old Testament about a Savior, Hardin said. Visitors are particularly interested in the Last Supper scene because the life-sized wax figures are from Madame Tussaud’s wax museum. Other Last Supper scenes are at Madame Tussaud’s in New York and London. The scene of the scourging of Jesus also prompts a great response from visitors, Hardin said. “It’s something they talk about.” The last scene, the Great White Throne of Judgment when the book of life is opened, also is thought-provoking, she added.

“The Miracles of the Old Testament,” also an hour-long, showcases an array of stories including Sodom and Gomorrah, Moses parting the Red Sea and a hand-carved Ark of the Covenant. The 23rd Psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want,” also is depicted, Hardin said, and is among favorite scenes.

“The Museum of Christian Martyrs” provides a portrait of those faithful who died because of their beliefs.

“The Heart of the Reformation” opened in 2003. Here, visitors will learn more about Martin Luther, John Wycliffe and William Tyndale whose beliefs and teachings figured in the Protestant Reformation.

The museum features more than 70 dioramas and 300 wax figures. “We believe the spirit of God brings the displays to life for visitors,” Hardin said.

Hardin said plans are in the works for “Amazing Grace, The Journey of Paul.”

“We want the museum to be both inspirational and educational,” Hardin said.

In addition to the tours, the museum has a collection of rare Bibles and braille Bibles. Hardin said there are “ornate and beautiful” Bibles dating to the 1300s and 1400s. Among the unusual Bibles, which recall Communist rule, are “smuggler’s Bibles,” which are printed in Russian. They were individually wrapped in plastic and dropped into the Black Sea by the U.S. Navy. The Bibles washed up on shore, where people found them.

Visitors also may view the largest collection of American votive folk art in the United States. The collection was a museum itself, Hardin said. It came from the former Gem Vespers Museum in Barton, N.Y.