The Alphabet Museum at JAARS

05/29/2026

October 24th may seem like a long way off, but we are already looking forward to this year's JAARS Day! We had a great time last year. For 2026, we plan to offer special interactives not just at the museum but also at the aviation hangar. Keep an eye on our social media for all the details as we get closer to JAARS Day 2026.

05/25/2026

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” - Psalm 34:18

05/24/2026

05/22/2026

Happy National Maritime Day!

We are grateful for not just the ability of boats and ships to deliver God's Word to remote places, but also for the water safety training and equipment that JAARS Sea Ops provides to keep those on the water safe. Where water travel is common, boats are often overcrowded, rundown, and lack safety equipment. JAARS helps equip translators and others with the means to travel more safely.

You can learn more about our Sea Operations by visiting the museum's Cardenas Building, open Tuesday-Saturday 12:30-3:30 pm (morning visits available at request).

05/21/2026

Happy International Tea Day! There are many people today who still remember Elaine Townsend, wife of JAARS' founder Cam Townsend. She demonstrated true hospitality wherever she lived, and her tea parties became quite famous in the JAARS/Wycliffe community. You can read all about her in the book "Better Than We Dreamed," which can be found in our gift shop!

05/20/2026

Please take note of our special hours this Saturday. Both museum buildings will be open 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day from The Alphabet Museum!

05/07/2026

Today's Awesome Archive Find features a program for a fellowship dinner on April 18, 1951, honoring JAARS founder Cameron Townsend and the Catalina Flight Party. The artwork is the original front page of the program. In 1951, JAARS was still new, but Townsend envisioned a need for larger planes for our pilots in Peru, specifically a Consolidated PBY Catalina from WWII. With support from figures like Mexico's Aaron Saenz and Dr. Ramon Beteta, as well as Henry Crowell of Moody Bible Institute, JAARS acquired a Catalina, named "Amauta Moises Saenz" in honor of Saenz's brother, who had first invited Townsend to Mexico for translation work. The Catalina became essential for transporting people and cargo, and, as seen in the photos, demonstrated its versatility in landing on both land and water.

05/05/2026

Happy African World Heritage Day!

Visit The Alphabet Museum and explore our Africa exhibit, featuring a hand painted world map with textile designs and a variety of artifacts from the continent. In this display, you can read stories of ongoing Bible translation projects in Africa and even watch videos of Scripture celebrations. You will also see two unique types of African alphabets!