Of all the proposed designs for the permanent home for The American Christian History Museum, THE RECREATION OF PHILADELPHIA'S INDEPENDENCE HALL has been the unanimous favorite. Independence Hall is where the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution were drafted and signed—truly the birthplace of our government. Many of our steadfast Christian founders were involved in creating these documents. A reproduction of the exterior of such an important historical structure will generate great interest, news and lure many tourists.
FOUNDERS HALL
The main entrance to the museum will be through the bell tower. Suspended from the ceiling will be a copy of the Liberty Bell. Special focus will be drawn to the engraved Old Testament inscription on the bell from Leviticus 25: 10, “…proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof…”
The rest of the building will be a new, modern, state-of-the-art museum space inside the shell of the Independence Hall exterior.
The floor around a circular information desk in the main room of the museum, Founders Hall, will be inscribed with the popular battle cry of the Revolutionary War, “No king but Jesus!” and our national motto, “In God we trust.”
The hall’s ceiling will be capped with a large relief medallion of the museum’s logo featuring the dove of the Holy Spirit with expanding sun rays from behind resembling the alabaster dove in the Vatican’s Altar of the Chair.
Three large cylinder towers wrapped with LED video monitor skin will be in the main hall featuring exhibits with touch screen capability.
LIFE SIZED STATUES
Behind the reception desk will be a curved wall with statues of select founding leaders on both sides. The statues (20-22) will be life sized and made of bronze. Visitors can interact with the statues while reading information placed in front of each statue.
SELF-GUIDED AUDIO
Every visitors will be given a handheld audio receiver for self guided touring. Viewers simply type the number of the exhibit on their receiver to start the audio flow of information. Soft music of patriotic songs, hymns and spirituals will be playing in each room of the museum.
CHANGING EXHIBIT WING
To the left of Founders Hall will be the changing exhibit wing. Twice yearly a new exhibit will be installed to attract repeat visitors and expand the understanding of our Christian heritage. Possible exhibits may include The Great Awakening, The Peace Churches, Slavery or special biography focus on the life of a significant founder.
FEATURE VIDEOS
Visitors will watch videos that tell the story of the faith that guided our founding leaders and those who followed. The introductory video will give an overview of our country’s Christian character—a video time line of our Christian heritage. All videos will be of the highest professional quality in all areas of production.
One significant video will expose God’s providential redemption and provision through the lives of Samoset and Squanto, the two Indians who taught the remaining Pilgrms survival skills after the devastating winter of 1620. Ten years earlier these native Americans were taken to England and enslaved. They maneuvered their return only to discover their tribes had been completely wiped out by a plaque. God brought healing as they all helped each other.
Another feature video will focus on the life of George Washington, the man who could not be killed in battle. God intervened on his behalf with several metrological miracles enabling him to defeat the greatest army and navy in the world at that time. These stories factually document the formation of the United States of America as an undeniable act of God. Our nation’s schools sadly omit these facts which should bring us great national pride.
The final video visitors view before leaving the exhibit will be a summation of the ACHM experience. The movie will show the influence Christianity had in the formation of America, the many other countries who fashioned their constitutions after ours and the resulting accomplishments around the world.
3D HOLOGRAM THEATER
The exhibit will feature a 3D holographic theater where patriots speak to the visitors and interact with one another. Costumed actors will deliver soliloquies about their character’s life peppered with their famous quotes. As one actor finishes another enters until the stage is filled with our founders. The debate over religious freedom could be another subject for dramatic presentation in 3D.
CHRISTIANITY'S EFFECT ON EDUCATION
An exhibit will document Christianity’s influence on America’s education system and ultimately how political decisions revised and removed references to the faith of our founders from textbooks. A one-room school house will be recreated with side-by-side comparisons of the textbooks used then and what is being taught today. This will dramatically show how history is being changed. Other documentation will show discipline standards, homework assignments and literacy charts.
FLAT SCREEN DIRECTORY
All notable Christian patriots, presidents, legislators and judges will be listed with their images and titles on large touch screen monitors. Visitors will touch a name on the list and the leader’s image will appear with their resumé and famous quotes. African-American leaders and women will be featured in the main directory rather than a separate exhibit. All resumes will include the fate of each individual’s estate at the end of their life to demonstrate the cost of faith and action. Christian presidents and leaders after 1787 will be included on this directory. A map of the U.S. will be on the touch screen directory and each leader’s town of residence will light up as their name is touched.
HISTORIC TIME LINE
A major historic time line exhibit will show the context of events that led to the formation of America beginning with the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 showing its relationship with Christopher Columbus. Seeing the mistakes in religious history will explain the passion our leaders had for the ideals of Christianity, tolerance and their fears of totalitarian centralized governments.
The time line will also include events and laws that have diminished Christian standards.
OUR LAWS FROM THE BIBLE
One exhibit will diagram the biblical references to specific lines and ideas in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Other major laws that formed our culture wil also be diagramed tro show their foundation in Judeo-christian Scriptures.
THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD GREAT AWAKENING
One exhibit will document what life in America was like before the Great Awakening began in 1730. A Flash video display will show the spread of the revival, the major leaders and the quantitative results. The same wil be done for the Second and thrisd Great Awakenings as well.
CONTROVERSIES
One exhibit will address the arguments associated with America’s status as a Christian nation, such as, but not limited to:
1. The number of founding fathers were not Christian, but Deists.
2. The issue of slavery and how the founders wrestled with it.
3. A clear explanation of the separation of church and state.
4. Arguments saying we were in moral decline before Murray v. Curtlett, (1963)
THEATER AND LECTURE SERIES
ACHM will have an auditorium for lectures by visiting scholars and teaching events for tour groups. The theater will also be rented out to appropriate groups. A theatrical play will be written and performed nightly linking the lives of the founders, events leading to the Declaration of Independence, the debates of the Federalist Papers and the satisfaction of creating a government that changed the world for good. This will be an ongoing theatrical event like “The Lost Colony” and contribute to the tourism industry by creating overnight stays.
ARTIFACTS AND ORAL HISTORY
One room of the exhibit will house antique artifacts significant in documenting our nation’s foundation on Judeo-Christian principles. Earliest original letters, original contracts, documents, newspapers articles, ads, paintings, photos, political campaign memorabilia, furniture, personal artifacts, early TV newsreels and more will help tell the story of how the Christian faith saturated daily life in America.
A small theater will show videos on continuous loop of older citizens telling their stories of what life was like in America before 1963. Viewers will learn how much Christianity influenced everyday American life.
ACTIVE CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS
One exhibit will document the Christian denominations that were active in the new world from 1607-1788. A map will show where the denominations were located, which ones became state-sponsored churches, and where Jewish synagogues were built. For comparison, a list of Christian denominations in America today will be exhibited with their corresponding enrollment numbers.
RESEARCH LIBRARY
A research library will be housed at ACHM with links to other reputable libraries. Scholars may come to the ACHM library for valuable research on the Christian heritage of the United States. Friends of the ACHM library will sponsor periodic lectures to stimulate discussion on how to maintain Christian guidelines in an increasingly pluralistic society.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER ROOM
A special room will be created in the museum where prayer is offered daily on behalf of every national legislator and their families, every state legislator, every bill moving through Congress, every election held nationwide, every nation to whom we send aid and every treaty we negotiate. The prayer room will be open for visitors to join or to observe behind glass walls. A computer database will list all legislators and issues to keep prayer partners on task. Worship teams will be invited to worship the Lord and strengthen the prayer warriors. The singers will not necessarily be seen by those in prayer, but their voices will be heard. This center will be the life blood of the museum’s mission for now and the future.
INSPIRATIONAL EXIT
A display will show the countries around the world that have fashioned their constitutions after ours and the resulting accomplishments.
Inspirational Christian quotes from past government leaders will mark the exit from the exhibit. The quotes will enlighten visitors and encourage them to uphold these standards.
BOOKSTORE AND CAFE
Patrons will purchase purchase gifts and educational items to financially support the exhibit. A cafe with indoor and garden seating, will contribute to the enjoyment of the experience and encourage longer visits. Inspirational quotes will be engraved in the pavement walkways and placed on low, stand-up markers among the flowers and shrubs. Lights in the trees will add great atmosphere for evening events.
TRAVELING MUSEUM
A touring division of ACHM will travel across the country in four tractor trailer trucks making the museum accessible to the entire population. This phase will precede the permanent facility. Advance media coverage and donations will aid the fund raising effort. Team representatives and scholars will conduct presentations and seminars at public schools and civic organizations during its stay in every city.
FUTURE EXPANSION
Additional museums will be created in other regions of the country such as Chicago, Los Angeles and Dallas. Unique exhibits with regional interest will be featured in these centers such as the Catholic missions network in California and the Christian faith of the Vikings.
SUSTAINABILITY
Once the museum is built, it will need to be sustained. ACHM and partners will build the center through a capital campaign soliciting corporate and private donations.
Established Christian heritage ministries will be invited to partner with ACHM by contributing exhibits to the center and raising appropriate ongoing support.
The center will rent office space to other ministries, and complimentary businesses. Rental income will also come from leasing the theater and other areas of the center to compatible organizations.
Direct mail donations, general admission ticket sales, theater tickets, DVDs, merchandize, gifts and food sales in the cafe will be a daily part of ACHM’s revenue source.
A fine dining restaurant in the complex will serve the public, enhance the evening theater experience and cater retreats and seminars.
The museum will staff a division that functions as a booking agency to represent speakers to schools, churches, civic groups, lecture series, weekend retreats.
ACHM will promote retreats and training for political candidates as well as retreats for students addressing such topics as: character (courtesy, honesty, thinking of others, noble thinking), speech, dress codes, networking and creativity.
ACHM will conduct commercial Christian heritage tours of Washington D.C.
"…WITH MAN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE." Matt. 19: 26
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Michael D. Moore, director
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