A groundbreaking new exhibit exploring the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ through the lens of the Shroud of Turin has opened on the Christ Cathedral campus in the Diocese of Orange, offering what its creators describe as an unprecedented blend of technology, history, and faith.
The $5 million, 10,000-square-foot installation, titled The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience, welcomed its first visitors on Nov. 19. The project was developed by Papaian Studios in collaboration with the Diocese of Orange and Othonia Inc., an international team dedicated to the scientific and theological study of the shroud, according to Catholic News Agency.
The museum uses 360-degree theaters, projected environments, interactive displays, and shroud-based reproductions to guide visitors through 90 minutes of Christ’s public ministry, Passion, and Resurrection. The first theater introduces twelve Gospel moments chosen for their connection to the supernatural, such as the Transfiguration. A second room examines the shroud itself, including its physical characteristics and what it reveals about the sufferings of Jesus. The final theater reflects on the Resurrection and leads each visitor to a personal question: Who do you believe the man on the shroud is?
Jason Pearson of FiveHive Studios, a Catholic convert who worked with Othonia to design the exhibit, said the creative team wanted to offer something entirely new. “Using technology on display like that of the Van Gogh or King Tut exhibits, we’re doing things that have never been done before,” he told Catholic News Agency. “Whether it be Jesus walking on water or through the streets of Jerusalem, or in the tomb at the moment of the Resurrection, we make use of sound and projections so that the visitor feels like he’s going back into a time machine and experiencing these things himself.”
Pearson, who has volunteered for years at the Shroud Center of Southern California, said the exhibit is intended not only for practicing Catholics but also for those who have never encountered Christ. He shared the story of two young women who visited the existing shroud center and became emotional, asking, “Why hasn’t anyone told us about him?” according to Catholic News Agency.
The museum includes additional exhibit rooms housing artifacts related to Christ’s Passion—replicas of the whip, nails, crown of thorns, and even a model of the tomb. Another display presents the story of Secondo Pia, the photographer whose 1898 negatives revealed details of the shroud’s image unseen by the naked eye. Other sections compare ancient iconography of Christ with the facial image on the cloth and examine the Sudarium of Oviedo, the traditional facial covering of Jesus after His death.
A notable feature is a digital Q&A kiosk with Father Robert Spitzer, S.J., who has researched the shroud for two decades. “It gets the pedagogy right, it’s biblically accurate, and they tell me the visual imagery is amazing,” he said, according to Catholic News Agency. Despite his recent blindness, Spitzer expressed joy that the exhibit is now open, especially because “we welcome anyone, [but] we especially hope many young people will come to learn about the shroud and lead many to come to know more deeply the person of Jesus Christ.”
Nora Creech, a member of Othonia’s leadership team, emphasized that the museum begins by introducing visitors to Jesus Himself. Many young adults, she noted, “have not been brought up with knowledge of who Jesus is. That is why we seek first to introduce people to Jesus so that they will become interested in his burial shroud,” according to Catholic News Agency.
Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer of Orange offered a blessing at the museum’s opening and highlighted the exhibit’s educational value. He said his favorite artifact was the historically accurate crown of thorns, which resembled a helmet rather than a ring. “I’ve been impressed with the entire exhibition. It is very engaging, and I believe it will be an important tool in helping visitors come to know Christ better,” he said, according to the report.
Physician Gus Accetta, founder of the Shroud Center in 1996 and a long-time student of the relic, praised the museum as well. “It’s a wonderful exhibit,” he said. “It not only looks at the shroud but the whole life of Christ, of which the shroud is just a part,” according to Catholic News Agency.
The immersive experience will remain at Christ Cathedral through at least 2030. Located just miles from Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center, the museum is expected to draw families, pilgrims, and visitors from around the world. Organizers have already fielded inquiries from other regions, some as far away as Malaysia, about replicating the project elsewhere.
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