Family and friends also participate in the May 31 ceremony in Charlotte, N.C. the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) said.
The 40,000-square-foot Library depicts the life of Graham "and rather than simply serving as a memorial, is designed to inspire visitors as part of the ongoing [evangelistic] outreach" of the BGEA, the organization said in a statement.
"The purpose of the Library is to serve as an extension of the evangelistic ministry of the BGEA and continue the legacy it has had for 60 years of delivering the simple message of God’s love and forgiveness to people around the world."
RESEMBLING BARN
Located on the grounds of the organization’s international headquarters, the Library is designed "to resemble a barn, recalling Graham’s childhood on the family dairy farm in Charlotte," the BGEA said. It will house six exhibits, four galleries, and two theaters, covering the span of Graham’s lifetime work on six continents speaking in person over 210 million people, organizers said.
The Library will also be the repository for Graham’s personal papers, including his correspondence and sermon manuscripts. During the dedication ceremony, Former President Bush is to deliver the keynote address to the 1,500 invited guests and media, the BGEA added.
Visitors are expected to enter through a 40-foot glass cross built into the front of the building to the Billy Graham Library where they can take a self-guided 90-minute tour that includes multimedia displays, rare film footage, and more than 350 photographs.
EVANGELISTIC EVENTS
The Library tour offers a look at Graham’s "historic evangelistic events, his innovative use of radio, television, and films to reach out to millions of people around the world, meetings with presidents and world leaders, his work for racial equality and religious freedom, and a glimpse into his personal life," the BGEA said.
Visitors can also see an exhibit on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association today-reflecting what organizers described as "the global ongoing work and expansion of the ministry." The Library also includes a restaurant, bookstore, and a tour of the original Graham Family Homeplace where Billy Graham lived as a teenager.
The Billy Graham Library was to open to the public June 5 and admission would be free. The BGEA said. It is located at 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C. 28201 (With reporting from the USA).
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