The Jerry Falwell Museum hosted an open house event Sept. 4 for visitors to explore the new exhibits on display, featuring artifacts and memorabilia from the early years of Liberty University.
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and more joined the event for cake, refreshments and a self-paced tour through the past 54 years of Liberty.
The museum was opened on Jerry Falwell Sr.’s 70th birthday in 2003 to showcase the story of Liberty and its founder. Originally, its location was in DeMoss Hall.
Paula Johnson, the initial curator of the museum, was a student in Liberty’s first class in 1971. She said she was led to Liberty by God’s calling, along with many other students. She recalled the times spent sleeping on cots in old storage areas and taking classes in spare Sunday school rooms.
“Those early years were special,” Johnson said.
Years later, Johnson worked to compile and preserve artifacts from Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University, formerly Lynchburg Baptist College from 1971-1975 and Liberty Baptist College until accredited in 1985.
“(The museum) told of how God uses people who pray,” Johnson said.
Michelle Marttila, the current curator of the Jerry Falwell Museum, led the charge over the past few years to create the museum’s current exhibits on the ground floor of the Hancock Welcome Center.
Marttila shared that the museum moved under the management of the Jerry Falwell Library in the fall of 2021. In the beginning of 2023, staff began moving materials into the new space in the Welcome Center. The move to this new location offered better accessibility for visitors and an ideal location next to the Champion Center, set to open in Spring 2026.
“We had enough (exhibits) done that we thought we’d do an open house to let people know we’re here and what we are about,” Marttila said.
This open house celebrated the completion of most of the museum’s displays after the soft launch of the museum’s new location during Homecoming last year.
The immersive experience presented artifacts donated from the Falwell family as well as many alumni and supporters. The artifacts range from newspapers and photographs to small memorabilia and sports trophies to larger items like furniture and seats from an old school bus.
One large display in the museum showcased pieces of TRBC’s original 701 Thomas Road location, including Falwell’s bulletproof pulpit, pews from the location and the camera used to broadcast the “Old Time Gospel Hour.”
Amid the bustle of Liberty’s over 7,000-acre campus, this glimpse into the past reminds viewers of the humble beginnings of the university.
“History is so important for people to know their roots, … to be inspired by … Jerry Falwell Sr.’s vision,” Marttila said.
Another exhibit highlights photographs from the prayer meeting in the snow in 1977, where 2,500 people gathered to pray for funds to build on the new campus site. The prayers were answered, and many construction projects were completed later that year. A comparison photo shows the prayer group standing in front of a dairy barn, which is now the location of Williams Stadium.
“(Falwell) was such a prayer warrior. … We want to keep that message alive — for people to seek the Lord, see what he has for them and follow that vision that God has in their life,” Marttila said.
In the future, Marttila hopes to expand with additional exhibits, adding glass display cases for more artifacts to be showcased. She hopes to keep the vision of the university alive through these glimpses of history.
To see all the exhibits at the Jerry Falwell Museum, visit weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More information can be found at www.liberty.edu/library/jerry-falwell-museum.
Garman is a copy editor for the Liberty Champion.