Museum of the Bible

Interior design is key when building a museum to effectively hold the attention of visitors while guiding them through exhibits. Senza Finé’s work with Armourcoat polished plaster resulted in six different realistic stone effects to represent different historical periods. Senza Finé also recreated the look and texture of a fresco wall mimicking distressed plaster, as well as a realistic aged brick pattern that wraps around several columns and walls. The brick pattern was created using a custom grid lay out, all by hand, with over one hundred rolls of 1/4 inch tape. Another large undertaking for Senza Finé was the installation of The Title Wall. To date, this custom plaster map located on the fourth floor of the museum is the largest Armourcoat stencil project in North America. Senza Finé utilized roughly 26 layers of armourcoat plaster to create the map. Both positive and negative stencils were imbedded into the layers of plaster, finished with several metallic glazes. This attention to detail created a unique experience for museum goers to discover the artifacts on display, and also won Senza Finé a Washington Building Congress Craftsmanship Award in 2018.

Although custom detailed plaster work was utilized in the gallery area, a more functional finish was needed in the high traffic spots in the museum. Senza Finé installed over 76,000 square feet of Armour-Stonne plaster to give the lobbies and hallways a clean, uniformed look. The Museum of the Bible project is a perfect example of the versatility of Armourcoat Plaster and of Senza Finé’s craftsmanship.

The Senza Finé team masterfully completed both of these projects for the Museum of the Bible with the same precision and professionalism shown in every job. The stone effects, Title Wall, and Armour-Stonne projects each contribute to the unique atmosphere of D.C.’s newest museum.