Ancient Adventures in a Newly Constructed Past: The Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Florida

This thesis explores notions of authenticity, pilgrimage and commodification of the past at the Holy Land Experience (HLE) in Orlando Florida. The HLE is both a biblical theme park and a living history museum in Orlando, Florida. I argue, primarily, that as a living museum the HLE is essentially inauthentic in that it does not educate visitors about history, as it claims to, but instead uses it as a method for transmitting the founding organization’s—Zion’s Hope—unique prophetic ministry. This method is neither obvious nor explicit, but by exploring and considering the HLE’s various displays, especially the Scriptorium, I expose the deeper meaning which motivates Zion’s Hope.