Ark Encounter facts for kids
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Noah's Ark at Ark Encounter (2016)
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| Location | Grant County, Kentucky, United States |
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| Coordinates | 38°37′20″N 84°35′32″W / 38.6222°N 84.5923°W |
| Status | Open |
| Opened | July 7, 2016 |
| Owner | Ark Encounter, LLC |
| Operated by | Answers in Genesis |
| Theme | Noah's Ark |
| Slogan | "It's bigger than imagination" |
| Operating season | Year-round |
| Attendance | 862,471 - 1 million (July 2017–June 2018) |
The Ark Encounter is a Christian theme park that opened in Grant County, Kentucky in 2016. Its main attraction is a giant model of Noah's Ark. This ark is based on the Bible's story of a great flood. It is about 510 feet (155 meters) long, 85 feet (26 meters) wide, and 51 feet (16 meters) high.
The park is run by Answers in Genesis (AiG). This group believes the Earth is much younger than many scientists say. They also run the Creation Museum, which is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) away. The Ark Encounter teaches about these beliefs, including how people and dinosaurs might have lived at the same time.
Before the park was built, studies showed it could bring many tourists to Kentucky. The park received some financial help from the city, county, and state. This caused some discussion among groups who believe church and state should be separate.
Contents
What to See at the Ark
The ark model has 132 large sections, each about 18 feet (5.5 meters) tall. These sections are spread across three decks. Visitors start on the lowest deck and move between levels using ramps in the middle of the ark.
Animal Models and Exhibits
The first deck shows models of animals that AiG believes could have been on the ark. There are no live animals inside the ark itself. However, there is a petting zoo on the park grounds. The animal models represent different "kinds" of animals. AiG believes these "kinds" later developed into the many modern animals we see today after the flood. Before the ark opened, news reports mentioned it would feature models of dinosaurs and "Biblical unicorns."
The second deck has more animal models. It also shows scenes of Noah's workshop and a blacksmith. The third deck has displays that show what AiG believes happened inside and outside the ark during the flood. Some displays include old items from the Green Collection. These items also promote the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.. This museum was built by the Green family, who also helped fund the Ark Encounter.
Some memorable exhibits show what the world might have been like before the flood. These include scenes of people fighting a giant and a dinosaur.
Ark Structure and Dining
The ark model stands about 15 feet (4.6 meters) off the ground on concrete towers. One side of the ark connects to three tall stone towers. These towers are about 80 feet (24 meters) high and hold stairwells, elevators, and restrooms.
The park also has a large restaurant called Emzara's Kitchen. It is a two-story, buffet-style restaurant. It can serve up to 1,500 guests, making it one of the biggest restaurants in the world.
Building the Ark Encounter
In December 2010, Answers in Genesis (AiG) announced plans to build the Ark Encounter. They wanted the park to "show how the biblical story of a great flood could be true." They also wanted to "remove doubts that Noah could have fit two of every animal onto a 500-foot-long ark." The full park was expected to cost $150 million. AiG planned to raise this money from private donations.
Choosing the Location
The group chose an 800-acre (324-hectare) area near Interstate 75 in Grant County, Kentucky. This spot is close to Williamstown. It is also about 45 miles (72 kilometers) from AiG's Creation Museum. Studies predicted the park could create 900 jobs. They also thought it could attract 1.6 million visitors in its first year. This would bring about $214 million to the local economy.
The city of Williamstown helped by setting up a special financial zone around the park. This meant some local taxes would go back to the Ark Encounter for 30 years.
Funding and Construction Start
In February 2012, Ark Encounter, LLC bought the land for the park. At that time, AiG decided to build the park in stages. They had only raised $5 million of the $24 million needed to start building. The first stage included the full-size Noah's Ark model and a petting zoo. Future plans included a model of the Tower of Babel and other ancient village replicas.
In December 2013, Williamstown offered $62 million in bonds to help start construction. These bonds were based on the park's future earnings. In early 2014, enough money was raised to begin construction. AiG said the final cost of the park when it opened was over $100 million. This included $62 million from the bonds and $36 million from donations.
The state of Kentucky also set aside money for road improvements. These improvements were needed to handle the extra traffic expected from the Ark Encounter.
Building the Ark Model
Cary Summers, who used to lead Herschend Family Entertainment, helped plan the Ark Encounter. Patrick Marsh, who designed exhibits for the Creation Museum, also worked on the design. The Troyer Group, a construction company, managed the building of the ark. Amish builders used traditional timber framing methods. More than 1,000 skilled workers helped build the ark.
Even though traditional methods were used, modern building rules required steel fasteners. So, 95 tons of metal plates and bolts were used to connect the wood. The electric lights inside were made to look like oil lamps. AiG says the Ark Encounter is the largest timber frame building in the United States.
AiG chose a specific length for the biblical cubit (an ancient unit of measure). This led to the ark's final size: 510 feet (155 meters) long, 85 feet (26 meters) wide, and 51 feet (16 meters) high. The Ark Encounter used about 3.3 million board feet of wood. Most of the ark's frame is made of Englemann spruce. The outside is made of pine. Some logs were as long as 50 feet (15 meters).
The park's buildings were constructed using environmentally friendly methods. These included geothermal heating and rainwater capture. This shows a new way of thinking about caring for the environment.
Grand Opening
The Ark Encounter opened on July 7, 2016. This date (7/7) was chosen because of Genesis 7:7 in the Bible. It says, "And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood." For the first 40 days and 40 nights, the park stayed open longer. This was a nod to the 40 days and nights of rain in the biblical flood story. Before the public opening, a special ceremony was held for media and donors. About 30,000 people visited in the first six days.
Recent Developments
Since opening, the Ark Encounter has continued to grow. In December 2016, AiG lit the ark with rainbow colors for the holidays. They said this was to "take back the symbol" of the rainbow. They wanted to remind people of the Noahic covenant in the Bible. In 2017, permanent rainbow lights were installed. AiG also plans to open a "Rainbow Garden" with colorful flowers.
In November 2017, construction began on a 2,500-seat theater at the park. A new children's play area and an expanded petting zoo are also planned to open.
During the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, the Ark Encounter temporarily closed. AiG staff held online events during this time. When it reopened in June, the park limited visitors to one-third of its capacity. This was to help with social distancing.
In August 2020, officials announced the Ark Encounter would host a Christian music festival. It would last "40 days and 40 nights."
Ark Encounter in the Media
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In October 2016, the Ark Encounter hosted the first showing of the film The Atheist Delusion.
Ozzy Osbourne and his son, Jack, visited the Ark Encounter in April 2017. They filmed an episode for their TV show Ozzy & Jack's World Detour. The episode was called "Kentucky Fried Osbournes."
RoadsideAmerica.com, a travel website, named the Ark Encounter its "Sight of the Week" in January 2018. The site gave it the highest rating. It said the ark is "an attraction that should be visited -- if only because it's unlikely that you'll ever visit anything else like it."
In February 2020, PBS aired a documentary about the Ark Encounter called We Believe in Dinosaurs. The filmmakers wanted to show a fair look at the park.
The Ark Encounter was chosen as the Best Religious Museum in the 2020 USA Today/10Best.com Readers Choice Awards. Its sister attraction, the Creation Museum, came in second.
Visitor Numbers
AiG first thought the park would attract 1.4 to 2.2 million visitors each year. After its first year, AiG reported about 1 million visitors. They said the number was lower because the park opened in the middle of the tourist season.
In February 2017, local officials said the Ark had brought more tourists to the area. The challenge was to add more hotels and services. In March, the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau gave the Ark Encounter an award for tourism. They reported a $23 million increase in visitor spending in nearby counties. This was largely due to the Ark Encounter opening.
In June 2017, the mayor of Dry Ridge, Kentucky said the Ark Encounter had a good effect on his town. Hotel occupancy rates went from 60 to 98 percent since the park opened. In July 2018, a company started building a new hotel and restaurant complex in Dry Ridge. They said it was needed for Ark Encounter visitors.
At the end of the Ark Encounter's second year, AiG reported 1 million visitors for that year. However, some groups questioned these numbers. They said that local tax data showed about 862,471 visitors between July 2017 and June 2018. AiG explained that this method did not count free guests. These include children under 5, annual pass holders, and lifetime pass holders.
In 2020, park attendance was generally higher than expected. However, it dropped after the temporary closure due to COVID-19.
Images for kids
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The Ark Encounter at night, December 2021
