Experiential design and religious publicity at D.C.’s Museum of the Bible

James S. Bielo*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

This article examines the sensory dimension of religious publicity, focused on the case of an evangelical museum in the United States. Washington D.C.’s Museum of the Bible (MOTB) was envisioned and funded primarily by conservative Protestants, and is a revealing case of religion in public life because most of the creative labor of design was conceived and executed by secular firms who do not typically work for faith-based clients. The professional expertise of these firms, “experiential design,” informs a sea change in contemporary museology and the expansion of the experience economy in late modernity. Ultimately, I argue that MOTB’s engagement with experiential design indexes the power of entertainment in late modern life, as the sensory repertoire at play operates with largely unquestioned legitimacy and presumed efficacy. By mobilizing the cultural capital of design, an evangelical museum makes a claim for diverse audiences in a deeply public setting.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)98-113
Number of pages16
JournalSenses and Society
Volume15
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2020

Keywords

  • Christianity
  • Religious publicity
  • United States
  • experience economy
  • museums

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cultural Studies
  • Communication

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