By KEVIN SWITZER
April 6, 2006

Approximately 2,000 years ago, a sect of the Jewish people living on the coast of the Dead Sea preserved in jars several scrolls containing their scriptures, parts of what Christians today regard as the Old Testament. The Jews hid these jars in nearby caves for any number of possible reasons. At some point, all knowledge of the existence of this hiding place was lost.

However, about sixty years ago, the scrolls were rediscovered. Now, two millennia after their burial, they’re resting in display cases at a museum in Charlotte, NC. How did they get there? That’s something worth finding out yourself. You can live the whole story at Discovery Place on the corner of N. Tryon and 6th.

Here’s what to expect when you go to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. After passing through the cave-like entrance, a museum assistant will give you an audio wand, which allows you to listen to explanations for various exhibits as you approach them. The self-guided tour begins with a short introductory film. After the film, you’ll enter the main exhibit, where you’ll learn from various displays enhanced by your audio wand about the history of the Dead Sea region, the Israelites, the time period, and the people who fabricated and subsequently buried the ancient scrolls.

You’ll also learn some details about the scrolls and about their discovery in the 1940s. Finally, you’ll arrive at the feature presentation: the scrolls themselves.

Of the scroll fragments that were extracted from the Dead Sea caves, ten are on display at this exhibit. The scrolls are photosensitive, so the room is lit very dimly and the scrolls themselves are illuminated by subdued, intermittent light. Each display is supplemented with a translation and a description. Most of them are passages that can be found in the Bible, but some of the fragments contain descriptions of ancient Jewish rituals or customs not found in scripture. The tour ends with a small exhibit on the history of biblical texts and a gift shop.

The Dead Sea Scrolls will be in Charlotte until May 29th. Tickets can be bought online, over the phone, or at the museum. Anyone who is interested in the scripture should take advantage of this rare opportunity.

The Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit is located at Discovery Place, 301 N. Tryon St., Charlotte. The Scrolls will be on display through May 29th. For ticket information, call (704) 372-6261 or (877) 849-4377 or go online at www.discoverscrolls.org. These are timed tickets -- i.e., ticket-holders will buy a ticket to attend at a specific time on a specific day. Advance tickets are recommended. Prices: adults $20; children/seniors $17; groups/members $16; students/faculty $15; and school groups (on a regular school day) $11.

The Discovery Place parking deck is at the corner of Church and Sixth streets. During the exhibit, the first half-hour of parking is free; 30 minutes to four hours is $6. Visitors who also purchase general admission to Discovery Place get a $1 parking discount. Discovery Place members get $2 off of parking.

Exhibit hours are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; and Sundays 12-7:30 p.m.