Ark Encounter Ready to Board

WILLIAMSTOWN–The Ark Encounter, a life-sized Noah’s Ark replica in northern Kentucky, welcomed more than 8,300 VIP guests yesterday in advance of its public grand opening on July 7.

A sister attraction of the Creation Museum in Petersburg and built according to dimensions from the Bible, the Ark Encounter, a structure standing at 51 feet tall and more than 500 feet long, is a one-of-a-kind historically themed attraction in Grant County, touts itself as the largest freestanding, timber-framed structure in the world.

President and co-founder of the Ark Encounter Ken Ham spoke to the crowd yesterday about the importance of the Ark as a family-oriented and environmentally friendly attraction.

“In a world that is becoming increasingly secularized and biased, it’s time for Christians to do something of this size and this magnitude,” says Ham. “I believe you’re going to find all sorts of people from all sorts of religious backgrounds who are going to come here.”

With an estimated cost of $100 million to build, Ark Encounter is expected to receive 1.4-2.2 million visitors in the first year. For these visitors, the Ark Encounter will include three decks of exhibits in more than 12,000 square feet, a petting zoo, daily animal shows, live entertainment, a 1,500-seat themed restaurant, and a fair-trade gift shop.

To match the biblical flood that started July 7, the Ark Encounter will be open for the first “40 days and nights” from 9 a.m. to midnight, moving to daylight hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from August 16. Tickets are available at www.ArkEncounter.com and at on-site ticket officers. Admission is $40 for adults, $31 for seniors, and $28 for children; parking is $10.

For more information about the Ark Encounter, visit www.ArkEncounter.com.

Dylan Pingitore Answers in Genesis