The Argentina branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses, located in Buenos Aires, opened a new museum on December 11, 2019. The museum consists of two exhibits with the themes “Imitate Their Faith” and “Your Word Endures Forever.”

“Imitate Their Faith” relates the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Argentina and Uruguay, from their modest beginnings in the 1920s to their expansive growth in modern times. A special feature of this historical exhibit is the story of our brothers’ activities during the years when the work was banned in Argentina. The exhibit explains how Witness children were expelled from school and hundreds of Christian youths were sentenced to long prison terms because of their neutral stand. Many of these faithful young brothers suffered physical and psychological abuse, and at least three died for their faith.

“Your Word Endures Forever” showcases a collection of Bibles and highlights the efforts made over the centuries to translate the Bible into Spanish. The collection brings together some 47 Bibles, including rare and significant ones such as the 1630 edition of the Ferrara Bible. This was one of the first complete translations of the Hebrew Scriptures into Spanish; it features the divine name on the title page. Additionally, the exhibit contains a 1602 first edition of the Reina-Valera Bible. This translation of the Bible uses God’s name, Jehovah, throughout the Old Testament. The Reina-Valera Bible is the most widely used Spanish Bible translation.

Since immigration has been a prominent element of Argentine history, the exhibit features Bible translations in languages that were spoken by immigrants that arrived in Argentina during the 19th century. Visitors are able to see Bibles in Armenian, Croatian, English, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Portuguese, and Welsh.

The collection also includes translations that were completed in Argentina such as the 1919 Nuevo Testamento by Pablo Besson as well as modern-day translations into native languages, such as Chorote, Mapudungún, Mocoví, Pilagá, Toba del Oeste, Toba Qom, and Wichí.

Brother Timoteo Costantino, who works at the Argentina branch office, commented: “We are thankful to all who made these Bibles available for display. This museum has enhanced the appreciation of both the international and local visitors for our rich spiritual heritage.”