Final rotation now on display at the Reagan Library
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Ancient voices echo from scrolls so fragile they can only be shown to the public for three months at a time. Right now, the Reagan Library in Simi Valley offers a rare chance to witness these whispers from the past—the Dead Sea Scrolls—on display through September 2, 2025.
Described by Dr. Joe Uziel, head of the Dead Sea Scrolls Unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority, as a kind of “time machine,” the scrolls give visitors a glimpse into the beliefs, laws, and community life of people who lived more than two thousand years ago. Uziel shared his insights during the June 8 unveiling of the final scroll rotation at the Reagan Library, where he explained that each scroll is displayed for only three months before returning to special storage rooms in Israel to rest for five years. “They offer us a window into what people were writing, what they cared about, and how they structured their communities,” he said.
This exhibition isn’t a static display. It evolves. Each new set of scrolls reveals something different. The current rotation features eight freshly installed scrolls, including fragments from Psalms, the Book of Samuel, and a compelling text known as the Community Rule. This scroll outlines the expectations, rituals, and codes of behavior for a sectarian Jewish group known as the Yahad, often associated with the Essenes. According to Uziel, the Community Rule reveals a deeply spiritual lifestyle in which members abstained from marriage and children, committing themselves entirely to divine purpose. Joining the community required a rigorous three-year initiation. Their beliefs and legal interpretations, he said, set them apart from mainstream Judaism, suggesting an intentional withdrawal from broader society to live in strict accordance with their understanding of sacred law.
For Duke Mulholland, a Simi Valley resident and amateur biblical archaeologist, it’s this kind of detail that makes each rotation a fresh experience. The Community Rule scroll, he says, helps illuminate the identity of the Qumran community—the group believed to have preserved the scrolls in the caves near the Dead Sea. “Each batch tells a different story,” says Mulholland, who studied biblical archaeology at USC and runs a YouTube channel blending history, science, and scripture.
A longtime optician at Costco in Simi Valley, Mulholland launched his YouTube channel originally to share eyeglass education. Over time, it evolved into a space where he now offers commentary on biblical texts, archaeology, and current exhibits—including the Reagan Library’s Dead Sea Scrolls installation. His video on the current scroll rotation, including reflections on the Community Rule, can be viewed at youtube.com/watch?v=nB4JFhsJPVE.
Visitors who missed the rare, two-week showing of the Ten Commandments scroll can still experience it through a special interpretive display on site. That scroll represents the oldest known surviving copy of the Ten Commandments and was among the most celebrated artifacts in the exhibit’s earlier phase.
Another powerful highlight is a stone from the Western Wall in Jerusalem—offered here as a rare opportunity for visitors to physically connect with one of Judaism’s most sacred sites. The stone invites quiet reflection and creates a bridge between the texts and the spiritual places they once touched.
By the end of the exhibition, a total of 24 Dead Sea Scrolls will have been shown at the Reagan Library, each one contributing to a mosaic of insight into ancient Jewish life, law, and devotion. As Uziel puts it, these scrolls do more than take us back—they allow us to rediscover what once shaped a civilization.
The Reagan Library is located at 40 Presidential Drive in Simi Valley. The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit runs through Labor Day, September 2, 2025. Admission includes access to the scrolls and more than 200 related artifacts from the Second Temple period. Tickets are $29.95 for adults, $26.95 for seniors, $22.95 for youth ages 11–17, and $19.95 for children ages 3–10. Children under 3 and active military with ID are admitted free. Tickets are available at www.reaganlibrary.gov. During peak times, including weekends and holidays, wait times may exceed two hours, so visitors are encouraged to plan accordingly.
As one of the region’s premier cultural institutions, the Reagan Library has a reputation for staging world-class exhibits that draw visitors from near and far. From historical artifacts to immersive experiences, it’s a place where the past comes vividly to life.
The next major exhibition, titled “Cowboys, History and Hollywood,” will focus on the American West as portrayed on screen and in real life. The theme is especially meaningful at the Reagan Library, where the former president’s love of western film and his cowboy lifestyle at Rancho del Cielo will be a key part of the story.
For Simi Valley, the Reagan Library isn’t just a landmark—it’s a treasure. Whether for history lovers, students, or families looking for a meaningful day out, it continues to be a priceless community asset that inspires, educates, and surprises with every visit.
For locals and travelers alike, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see writings that have survived centuries and still speak to the spiritual questions of today.
