Terra Sancta Museum is the first museum of Christianity's history in the Holy Land. Located in the heart of the old city of Jerusalem, its mission is to valorize Christianity’s spiritual, archaeological, and artistic heritage, carefully conserved by the Franciscans, guardians of the holy places for the last 800 years. The museum is comprised of three sections: Multimedia: More than 2000 years of history are brought to life in 15 minutes, recounting episodes of the Gospels for visitors, as well as the transformations of Jerusalem. From the time of Herod as well as the condemnation and passion of Christ to the epochs of Hadrian, Constantine, Omar, Godfrey de Bouillon, Suleiman the Magnificent, up to today: this first section, available in 9 languages, is indispensable for introducing the way of the cross, and better comprehending the history of the Holy City! Archaeology: Currently, only the first part of the museum is open to the public. By means of extraordinary pieces—frescos, ceramics, Byzantine mosaics, coins, crosses, sarcophaguses, jewelry, ossuaries—this section presents ancient artifacts from daily life in the time of the New Testament. A digital application explains the history of these objects, supplementing the visitor’s historical and cultural knowledge. History: Opening anticipated in 2021. This section will assemble the sumptuous presents which arrived into the Holy Land from Christian kings over the course of the centuries. Monstrances dotted with precious stones, chalices, pieces of silver plate and mozaic gold, liturgical ornaments, crosses in marquetry. This section will allow innumberable visitors to Jerusalem to sample the chief works that constitute the Treasury of the Holy Sepulchre.
