Visit Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher – Without Getting on a Plane

WASHINGTON – For the next few months you can visit a piece of Jerusalem history without leaving the United States.

The National Geographic Museum aims to take people on a virtual journey to one of the most sacred places on earth.

Digital guides lead visitors on a 3-D expedition through Israel's Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Built in the fourth century, the site believed by many to be Jesus' tomb underwent a historic restoration. As part of the project, National Geographic studied the site with painstaking precision and documented their findings to share with the world.

"Some of our visitors might never get to go to Jerusalem, and this is a way for them to experience a piece of the magic of this historic city," said Kathryn Keane, vice president of Public Experiences.

What's unique is there are no artifacts in this exhibition as high-tech media takes travelers to the time of Jesus.

Using LIDAR – a combination of sonar and laser imaging – archeologists explored the shrine without disturbing it.

"It beams a light beam, a laser beam about 100,000 times per second to document a structure or building or field," explained Fredrik Hiebert, archeologist-in-residence.

"This expedition uses new technologies and story-telling platforms that are new to us. We've never done this before," said Keane.

In that digital world guests can embark on a journey and walk around Jerusalem's old city or explore where Jesus is said to have been buried before His resurrection.

"For me, it was the first time to work in a historic place that was also so sacred, so important," said Hiebert.

The VR experience is for everyone – Christians and even those who want to look back at biblical history.