NC Museum of History Features Billy Graham in ‘Favorite Son’ Exhibit

By   •   November 5, 2015

Billy Graham’s story is featured at the North Carolina Museum of History in a new exhibit which opened in November. The free exhibit, called “North Carolina’s Favorite Son: Billy Graham and His Remarkable Journey of Faith,” is open to the public through July 10, 2016.
Franklin Graham speaking at the Raleigh-based museum on Nov. 5. The name of the exhibit draws from the 2013 resolution passed by the N.C. General Assembly honoring the life of Mr. Graham’s wife, Ruth Bell Graham, and naming Billy Graham “North Carolina’s Favorite Son.” It is a privately funded exhibit, developed and produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
The 5,000-square-foot exhibit follows the steps of a Charlotte dairy farmer’s son from boyhood to a worldwide ambassador of the Gospel. It features memorabilia, interactive displays and multimedia that bring his story to life. Visitors will get a glimpse into his family life, leadership and influence throughout history.
Billy Graham was raised on a dairy farm in Charlotte, North Carolina. He later met Ruth Bell Graham at Wheaton College, and the couple settled in the mountains of Montreat, North Carolina. That's where they raised their five children.
A touch of home: handwritten Scripture from Ruth Bell Graham, who took the lead in child-rearing while Billy Graham was away at Crusades.
Billy Graham has preached to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history—nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories.
It's always been a mission of Mr. Graham's to reach people with the Gospel through every means possible. Hundreds of millions of people have been reached through television, video, film and webcasts throughout 60-plus years of ministry.
Franklin Graham listening to recorded stories from family members about his mother, Ruth Bell Graham.
The exhibit also features some key people in Billy Graham's ministry, including Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea.
Franklin Graham walks through the exhibit, reflecting on his father's ministry.
Each of Billy Graham's Crusades began with an invitation from the host city. Invitations came in different forms. This one is from Portugal in 1971.
Billy Graham's influence has spanned decades, through pivotal moments in history like desegregation and the Cold War.