Holy Land Experience
Holy Land Experience was a Christian religious theme park, museum, and worship venue in Orlando, Florida, that recreated settings associated with first-century Jerusalem.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Holy Land Experience was a Christian-themed amusement park and religious museum in Orlando, Florida. Organized as a nonprofit corporation, it combined reconstructed biblical settings, theatrical presentations, exhibitions, worship services, Bible studies, restaurants, retail facilities, and educational programming. Its central concept was to let visitors encounter an interpretation of ancient Jerusalem and first-century Judaea through architecture, artifacts, live performances, and religious instruction. The park originated with Marvin Rosenthal, a Baptist pastor of Russian Jewish descent and founder of the missionary organization Zion's Hope. Rosenthal acquired land in the Orlando area in 1989, and the attraction opened to the public in February 2001. From its beginning, the park occupied an unusual position between a tourist attraction, a Christian ministry, and a living-history museum. It offered public church services and Bible studies conducted by ordained pastors, while its exhibits and performances presented Christian interpretations of biblical history. The park's religious purpose also shaped its legal and public identity: it was registered as a nonprofit and sought recognition for tax-exempt status. One of the institution's most significant additions was the Scriptorium museum, which opened on August 17, 2002. The museum displayed the Van Kampen Collection, a major privately assembled group of biblical manuscripts, scrolls, early printed Bibles, and related artifacts. The collection had been founded by Robert and Judith Van Kampen and was placed on loan to the Orlando attraction. The Scriptorium expanded Holy Land Experience beyond theatrical recreation by giving it a substantial manuscript and antiquities component intended for both general visitors and academically interested audiences. In June 2007, the park's board sold the property to the Trinity Broadcasting Network, a major Christian television organization. TBN planned to improve the attraction and use the site as part of a broader Central Florida media operation, including broadcasting and Christian film production. Under TBN, the park received new landscaping, exhibits, restaurants, theaters, and live musical and dramatic productions. It also added children's programming through Smile of a Child Adventure Land, which included a climbing area, children's theater, craft facilities, and a toy store. These changes broadened the park's appeal while reinforcing its connection to TBN's religious media activities. The 2,000-seat Church of All Nations opened in 2012. It became the site's principal large-scale venue for worship, concerts, theatrical presentations, and filmed television programming. Productions depicting the Passion, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus formed a major part of its public offering. TBN also recorded episodes of its flagship program, Praise the Lord, at the venue, linking the physical attraction to the network's national broadcasting platform. Holy Land Experience faced controversy from its opening. The Jewish Defense League and other Jewish leaders accused the park and its missionary parent organizations of using a biblical attraction to proselytize Jewish visitors. Founder Marvin Rosenthal rejected that characterization, while some Christian observers also questioned aspects of the park's religious presentation. The institution additionally faced a dispute over property-tax exemption. Orange County initially rejected its request in 2001, but a 2005 judicial ruling recognized the park's religious and nonprofit mission and allowed tax-exempt treatment, while requiring an annual free-admission day. After several years of declining revenue, the park announced in February 2020 that it would lay off 118 employees, end theatrical productions, and close its restaurants and retail shops. These measures effectively ended the attraction's operating model. Holy Land Experience closed in March 2020. On August 2, 2021, AdventHealth acquired the property for $32 million with plans for a hospital-related redevelopment. Demolition of the former park began in April 2023; the final remaining structures, including the colosseum and Scriptorium, were demolished in June 2023. The brand is therefore defunct, although its former site remains associated with the transition from religious tourism and entertainment to healthcare development.
History
Holy Land Experience developed from Marvin Rosenthal's effort to establish a Christian attraction presenting biblical history in a tangible setting. Rosenthal, a Baptist pastor of Russian Jewish descent and founder of Zion's Hope, purchased land in the Orlando area in 1989. The project eventually became a nonprofit religious attraction designed around reconstructed architecture and settings associated with ancient Jerusalem and first-century Judaea. It opened in February 2001 and combined visitor entertainment with ministry activities, including weekly services and Bible studies open to the public. From the outset, the attraction's religious mission generated debate. The Jewish Defense League accused it of seeking to convert Jewish visitors through a theme-park format. Rosenthal categorically denied the accusation, but similar concerns were voiced by other Jewish leaders and some Christian observers. The park's nonprofit and religious status was also tested in a dispute with Orange County over property-tax exemption. The county initially denied the request in 2001. In 2005, however, a judge ruled that the attraction's religious mission and nonprofit structure supported tax-exempt treatment, comparing its historical displays to museum exhibits. The ruling also prevented collection of the park's previously owed annual property taxes, reported as approximately $300,000 per year, while requiring an annual free-admission day. The institution broadened its educational identity in August 2002 with the opening of the Scriptorium. The museum housed the Van Kampen Collection, founded by Robert and Judith Van Kampen and composed of biblically related manuscripts, scrolls, early printed Bibles, and other artifacts. The collection had previously been associated with a privately funded research library in Grand Haven, Michigan, and was placed on loan to the Orlando attraction. The Scriptorium gave Holy Land Experience an important collection-based component in addition to its reconstructed environments and performances. Rosenthal served as chief operating officer until 2005. In June 2007, the Holy Land Experience board sold the property to the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The reported transaction value was approximately $37 million, while the property was also reported to carry about $8 million in debt at the time. TBN planned to update the attraction and develop the property as a Central Florida broadcasting and Christian film-production base. In August 2007, president and board member Tom Powell resigned. Later that year, between 50 and 100 employees were removed from the payroll. The remaining board leadership included Paul Crouch Sr., Jan Crouch, Paul Crouch Jr., and Matthew Crouch. TBN reshaped the park with new landscaping, exhibits, restaurants, theaters, and live musical and dramatic productions. The program expanded beyond static recreation to include public church services, Bible studies, live cooking demonstrations, and family-oriented activities. Smile of a Child Adventure Land added a children's theater, craft center, toy store, and wilderness-themed climbing wall. Jan Crouch served as director and chief executive officer until her death in May 2016. A major later development was the opening of the Church of All Nations in 2012. The 2,000-seat auditorium became a central venue for worship, concerts, theatrical presentations, and television production. Its programming included live depictions of the Passion and crucifixion of Jesus, followed by representations of the resurrection and ascension. TBN also recorded its Praise the Lord program there, strengthening the connection between the visitor attraction and the network's broadcast ministry. The park's finances deteriorated over several years. In February 2020, management announced the elimination of 118 positions, described as most of the workforce, together with the end of theatrical productions, restaurants, and retail shops. Holy Land Experience closed in March 2020. The property remained unused as an amusement park until AdventHealth purchased it on August 2, 2021, for $32 million. The healthcare organization planned a redevelopment including an emergency department, hospital, and office building. Demolition commenced on April 28, 2023, and the last major structures, including the colosseum and Scriptorium, were demolished on June 12, 2023. The brand consequently ended as an operating attraction and its former physical campus transitioned to healthcare use.
- 2023
Former park demolished
[1]Demolition began in April and concluded with removal of the colosseum and Scriptorium in June.
- 2021
Property sold to AdventHealth
[1]AdventHealth acquired the former park site for healthcare redevelopment.
- 2020
Operations end
[1]After layoffs and the termination of key visitor services, the park closed in March.
- 2012
Church of All Nations opens
[1]The 2,000-seat auditorium opened for worship, concerts, theatrical presentations, and television tapings.
- 2007
Acquisition by Trinity Broadcasting Network
[1]TBN purchased the property and began a program of operational, physical, and media-oriented expansion.
- 2005
Tax-exemption ruling
[1]A court recognized the attraction's eligibility for tax-exempt treatment based on its nonprofit religious mission.
- 2002
Scriptorium museum opens
[1]The attraction opened a museum for the Van Kampen Collection of biblical manuscripts and related artifacts.
- 2001
Holy Land Experience opens
[1]The Christian theme park opened in February with biblical recreations, exhibits, and public religious programming.
- 1989
Land acquired for the future attraction
[1]Marvin Rosenthal acquired land in the Orlando area for a project that later became Holy Land Experience.
Products and positioning
A nonprofit Christian living-history attraction that combined biblical interpretation, religious worship, museum collections, theatrical entertainment, and family-oriented tourism.
Theme-park attraction · 2001
Biblical theme-park environments
The park recreated architectural settings and thematic scenes associated with Jerusalem and first-century Judaea. These environments provided the visual foundation for guided interpretation, religious presentations, and visitor exploration, positioning the attraction as a Christian living-history experience rather than a conventional rides-focused amusement park.
Museum · 2002
Scriptorium
Opened in 2002, the Scriptorium displayed the Van Kampen Collection, including ancient scrolls, manuscripts, early printed editions of the Bible, and other biblically related materials. The collection was held on loan and gave the park an educational and archival dimension alongside its live entertainment.
Religious and performance venue · 2012
Church of All Nations
The 2,000-seat Church of All Nations opened in 2012 as the park's principal auditorium. It hosted church services, concerts, large-scale Christian presentations, and filmed television programs, including TBN's Praise the Lord. Its productions included dramatized accounts of the Passion, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.
Children's attraction
Smile of a Child Adventure Land
This children's area expanded the park's family offering with a wilderness-themed climbing wall, children's theater, craft center, and toy store. It complemented the site's religious and historical exhibits with activities aimed at younger visitors.
Live entertainment · 2001
Live biblical presentations
Holy Land Experience produced musical and theatrical presentations based on Christian scripture, including staged depictions of the Passion, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. These performances were central to the attraction's interpretation of biblical events and were later presented in the Church of All Nations.
Controversies
2001
Proselytization controversy
The Jewish Defense League accused Holy Land Experience and its missionary-connected parent organizations of attempting to proselytize Jewish visitors through a Christian attraction. Marvin Rosenthal rejected the allegation, while other Jewish leaders and some Christian observers expressed related concerns.
Brand decisions
2021
Sell the former park site to AdventHealthM&ABackground
After the attraction closed, the property was no longer being operated as a religious theme park.
Action taken
AdventHealth purchased the site and planned a hospital-related redevelopment with an emergency department, hospital, and office building.
Aftermath
The former attraction was demolished in 2023 and the land transitioned toward healthcare use.
Property sale price. $32 million (August 2, 2021)
2020
Terminate core visitor operationsStrategyBackground
The park reported a sharp decline in revenue over several years.
Action taken
Management announced 118 layoffs and ended theatrical productions, restaurants, and retail shops before the attraction closed in March.
Aftermath
Holy Land Experience ceased operating as a theme park and was later sold for redevelopment.
2012
Open the Church of All NationsProduct launchBackground
TBN's ownership strategy sought to combine the visitor attraction with worship, large-scale Christian entertainment, and television production.
Action taken
The park opened a 2,000-seat auditorium for services, concerts, theatrical productions, and television tapings.
Aftermath
The venue became the principal large-capacity performance and broadcast location on the property.
2007
Sell the property to Trinity Broadcasting NetworkM&ABackground
The park sought a larger operating and media platform, while TBN wanted to expand its Central Florida broadcasting and Christian film-production presence.
Action taken
The board sold the property to TBN in June 2007.
Aftermath
TBN invested in new exhibits, landscaping, theaters, restaurants, children's facilities, and media-oriented programming.
Reported transaction value. $37 million (June 2007)
2005
Pursue nonprofit religious tax exemptionOtherBackground
Orange County had rejected the park's tax-exemption request in 2001, creating a dispute over whether the attraction functioned primarily as a religious nonprofit or as a commercial amusement venue.
Action taken
Holy Land Experience pursued judicial recognition of its nonprofit religious mission and its eligibility for tax-exempt treatment.
Aftermath
A judge ruled in the park's favor, while requiring it to provide one free-admission day each year.
Sources1 sources
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