Ark Encounter, Creation Museum Chosen as America’s Top Religious Museums

CHRISTIAN POST

The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky bathed in sunset colors. | (PHOTO: ANSWERS IN GENESIS)

The $100 million Ark Encounter biblical theme park with a life-sized Noah's Ark replica, and its sister institution, the Creation Museum, have finished No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in USA Today's 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2020. The Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum received the most readers’ votes from a list of the top religious museums in the nation as selected by a panel of top travel experts. “Both attractions have made Northern Kentucky the leading faith-based destination in America,” the two winners said in a statement Friday. “We are so grateful to USA Today for considering our internationally recognized attractions in its contest,” said Answers in Genesis' Ken Ham, who is also the CEO and founder of the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.[More]

Op-Ed: Ark Encounter numbers are strong and getting stronger

THE LEXINGTON HERALD
By Ken Ham

Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky

While speaking at our sold-out conference in Ireland, I was sent a Herald-Leader article about the Ark Encounter, our themed attraction in Williamstown. The piece suggested the Ark was struggling with attendance and revenue as it was entering its third year. I just had to rub my eyes. You see, attendance for year two (it concluded July 7) actually eclipsed year one. New attractions almost always see a drop in numbers after the excitement of the first year or two wears off. Now, if the Ark is supposedly struggling, how could we build a new $20 million multi-purpose center, seating 2,500 people (opening in a few months), and greatly expand our zoo? [More]

Atheists group issues reminder about freedoms to local schools

THE NEWS ENTERPRISE
By Katherine Knott

With the school year underway, the Kentucky branch of American Atheists has sent letters to public schools in Hardin, Jefferson and Fayette counties about religious issues. Johnny Pike, state director of the organization, said this is the first year the organization has sent such letters, and he wanted to raise awareness about common issues the association has seen. In the letter to school administrators, Pike said schools should keep school-events secular, which includes field trips. The organization particularly was concerned with field trips to Ark Encounter in Williamstown and Creation Museum in Petersburg. Additionally, he wrote school staff and employees shouldn’t lead or direct religious activities such as prayer, and said students do not have to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, citing Supreme Court decisions. [More]

State-of-art 4D theater opens at Creation Museum; latest high-tech addition to popular attraction

NORTHERN KENTUCKY TRIBUNE

A unique cinema-graphic experience awaits Creation Museum guests with the new 3D film “In Six Days.” This 22-minute 3D film on the six days of creation has been adapted from the full-length 3D film “Genesis: Paradise Lost,” shown earlier this year in movie theaters across America. “In Six Days” uses the best in 3D projection and eye-wear, including state-of-the-art “active 3D glasses” that employ infrared technology. The Special Effects Theater at the Creation Museum, which has been enjoyed by millions of guests as a fun experience at the popular attraction in northern Kentucky, reopened this morning. After 11 years, this high-tech theater has been totally refurbished with the newest in technologies, including the latest in 3D equipment.[More]

Opponents protest Ark Encounter on its two-year anniversary

WCPO

Dozens of protestors held a demonstration against the Ark Encounter theme park in Williamstown on Saturday.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. -- Dozens of protesters gathered for a rally nearby as the Ark Encounter in Northern Kentucky celebrated its two-year anniversary Saturday. The rally was organized by the Tri-State Freethinkers. One of the leaders of that group said they are taking a stand for science literacy. "They're telling people the earth is 6,000 years old, that the Grand Canyon was formed in 40 days. This is nonsense,” said Jim Helton, co-founder of the group. “This goes against basic science. And they're lying to the children and to the people around here about science, and that is dangerous and immoral."[More]

Ark Encounter’s latest attendance numbers are Ken Ham’s nightmare

PATHEOS
By Hemant Mehta

Ark Encounter doesn’t publicly release its attendance numbers. It doesn’t have to. But there’s a conflict between what atheists have reported during their own visits (it’s relatively empty when they’ve gone) and what Ken Ham says when he’s bragging online. He always suggests business is booming. Ham brought in 1.1 million people in the first year of the Ark. Last year, we finally got our first hints about actual attendance numbers, and it was all thanks to an ordinance passed by the city of Williamstown, Kentucky. You may recall that officials called for all ticket-taking attractions in the city to pay a surcharge of $0.50 per ticket as a “Safety Fee” to help pay for fire trucks, police cars, etc. — the very things that make the city a safer place for residents and tourists. Now they’re just sinking.[More]

Bourbon & Ark Encounter boosted NKY tourism to record-breaking year

CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

Record-breaking tourism spending in Northern Kentucky was fueled by demand for bourbon experiences, restaurants and new hotels, and the Ark Encounter (pictured).

The travel and tourism industry in Northern Kentucky had a record-breaking year last year. MeetNKY | Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau said Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties generated 2017 visitor spending of $450 million. That represents an increase of nearly 16 percent compared to 2016. The spending was fueled by demand for bourbon experiences, restaurants and new hotels, and the Ark Encounter.More than 1 million people visited the Ark Encounter in its first year of operation. Ken Ham, founder and president of Answers in Genesis, expects 2017-2018 attendance to be in the 1.4 million to 2.2 million range. According to Ham, more than 95 percent of Ark Encounter visitors come from outside Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. [More]

Ark Encounter agrees to pay Williamstown, Kentucky's new 50-cent tax per ticket

WEKU
By Cherri Lawson

Ark Encounter , Noah's Ark Theme Park CHERI LAWSON

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky---Since July 1, visitors to the Ark Encounter biblical theme park in Grant County have been paying an extra 50 cents per ticket. The “safety assessment fee” is for increased police and fire services. Despite attempts to reduce it, officials with the Noah’s Ark park this week agreed to continue collecting the fee for the City of Williamstown. While negotiating to have the fee reduced, the for-profit that owned the Ark transferred its property to a non-profit affiliate. That caused the city to fear that Ark officials were trying to get out of paying all taxes. Following notice by the state’s tourism agency that it was canceling a tax rebate worth as much as $18 million, the property was transferred back to the non-profit. [More]

Ark Encounter moves property back to for-profit to save tax incentives

THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER
By Scott Wartman

Faced with losing $18 million in tax incentives, the Ark Encounter operators sold the ark property back to their for-profit entity on Monday. This will likely mean the state will restore the tax incentives for the Noah's Ark-themed attraction in Grant County, a rural county about a 45-minute drive south from Cincinnati. Kentucky halted the Ark Encounter's tax incentives last week when tourism officials determined the attraction breached its agreement with the state after its ownership changed to nonprofit. This property maneuver has happened while the Ark Encounter and city of Williamstown feud over a 50-cent safety fee. [More]

Ark Encounter celebrated first year with 1 million visitors

EAGLE COUNTRY
By Mike Perleberg

Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky. Promotional photo from Answers in Genesis.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky---It has been one year since an amusement park of biblical proportions opened in northern Kentucky. Located along Interstate 75 in Grant County, the park is owned and operated by the Creationist ministry Answers in Genesis. The park’s centerpiece is a 510-feet long, 50-feet tall replica of Noah’s Ark. It has attracted one million visitors in its first year. Some days, more than 6,000 sightseers filter through the massive wooden structure. It’s become a huge tourist hit.” Answers in Genesis claims the ark park’s first-year economic impact is around $200 million. [More]

Creationist Ken Ham blames atheists for his "Noah's Ark Park" failure

GREENVILLE GAZZETTE

Everyone wants to blame their problems on anyone but themselves. A great example recently got national attention thanks to Ken Ham, a leader in the creationist community. Ken Ham recently underwent a project in Grant County, Kentucky, that was meant to attract tons of positive attention and tourism revenue for the area. The attraction in question was, of course, a recreation of Noah’s Ark, and it has been called both the Ark Park, and the Ark Encounter, which is the official name of the site. In a blog post that Ham recently posted on his website, Answers in Genesis, the creationist blames the secular media and atheists for both the real and perceived failure of the attraction. [More]

'Ark Park' violates agreement, gets over $18 million in state tax breaks suspended

THE COURIER-JOURNAL
By Deborah Yetter

Noah's Ark Encounter Kentucky

LOUISVILLE---Kentucky has suspended tax breaks to the Ark Encounter, saying it breached a deal that provides the religious-themed attraction with $18 million in state tax incentives. The Northern Kentucky theme park, dubbed the "Ark Park" because it features a 510-foot-long model of Noah's Ark, was notified by state officials on Tuesday that the owners have violated an agreement with Kentucky by transferring the property from a for-profit company to a nonprofit company. The property was transferred for $10. If the property is deeded back to the for-profit entity within 30 days, the tax incentive will be restored, said Laura Brooks, spokeswoman for the tourism cabinet. [More]

Ark Encounter thrills gay community with rainbow light display

USA TODAY
By Jeffrey Lee Puckett, The (Louisville) Courier-Journal

John Gidding, best known as host of HGTV's Curb Appeal, responded with a flurry of tweets: "That is ABSOLUTE GAYEST BOAT and I 💯💯💯 LOVE IT. #LoveWins" [More

LOUISVILLE---Ken Ham, the man behind the fundamentalist Christian theme park Ark Encounter, made a lot of gay people happy this week when he debuted a new nighttime lighting scheme. The rainbow, long considered a symbol of hope, was adopted by the homosexual community in 1978 when artist and drag queen Gilbert Baker created the Rainbow Flag for use in a San Francisco parade. Ham isn't cool with this and seems to be representing God on a copyright beef. He announced the Ark's new look with a series of four tweets that were greeted with much enthusiasm by both Ham's fans and the gay community. [More]

A Kentucky-based amusement park wants to take back rainbows from gay people

SALON
By Michael Glassman

Ken Ham Twitter

WILLIAMSTON, Ky---A Christian amusement park in Kentucky is announcing that it will be bathed in a rainbow of light each night. Ark Encounter, which says it’s dedicated to “understand[ing] the reality of the events that are recorded in the book of Genesis, will be lit with rainbow colors each night in an attempt to “take back the rainbow” from gay people, according to the attraction’s founder, Ken Ham. Ark Encounter hosts the “most authentic full-size replica of Noah’s Ark in the world,” according to its website. And it shouldn’t be a surprise that Ham wants to showcase the flag that symbolizes LGBTQ pride — conservatives view the rainbow flag as more offensive than the Confederate one. [More]

Road trip to Noah’s Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Ernest Disney-Britton

WILLIAMSTOWN, KY---Each summer, our friends & family get together for a road trip where we can talk about religious art and religious ideas. "Noah's Ark" is one of the most popular subjects in religious art, and the next road trip will take us to Noah’s Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky on Sunday, August 6, 2017. The ark contains 3.1 million board feet of timber and is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide and 81 feet tall. That is roughly the size Genesis 6:15 says God told Noah to build it: 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits tall. It's the Ark's one year anniversary, so send us your RSVP to roadtrip@alphaomegaarts.org. and we'll send you more details.

Women artists channeling the magic of the feminine occult

THE HUFFINGTON POST
By Priscilla Frank

Chitra Ganesh, “Girl, Water, Globe,” 2016, light jet print

KENTUCKY---Although universal belief in feminine spirituality is no longer the norm, the spirit of the goddess creator lives on ― particularly through the vision and practice of feminist artists. An exhibition titled “Sisters of the Moon: Art & the Feminine Dimension,” now on view at the Louisville KMAC Museum in Kentucky, features the work of women artists who, in some way, have incorporated the eternal ideas of nature, spirituality, femininity and the occult into their work. Chitra Ganesh’s artworks are a vibrant tangle of comic books and Bollywood, science fiction and Buddhist mythology, 1960s psychedelia and Grimm’s fairy tales. [link]

Op-Ed: Noah's Ark Theme Park is Impressive, But Its ‘Facts’ Don’t Hold Water

MIAMI HERALD
By Tom Eblen

Kentucky Noah’s Ark attraction has state tax incentives

KENTUCKY---Curiosity finally got the best of me. I had to drive up I-75 and see Noah’s Ark. I found the ark to be an impressive piece of woodcraft, which made me feel better about paying $40 to see it. (It cost another $10 to park in the 4,000-space parking lot, which was only a fraction full.) Answers in Genesis, the ministry that built the $100 million Ark Encounter theme park, calls it the world’s largest timber-frame structure. It also is a slick piece of propaganda.... But I didn’t come to Ark Encounter as an atheist. I came as a mainstream Christian, and two things bothered me: Answers in Genesis’ claim that its pseudo-science is “true” Christianity, and some critics’ assumption that all Christians are anti-science rubes. [link]

Kentucky Public Schools Warned About Taking Field Trips to Noah’s Ark Park

LEXINGTON-HERALD
By Linda Blackford and Bill Estep

Full-Scale Noah's Ark Opens in Kentucky

KENTUCKY---A secular foundation has contacted hundreds of public schools in Kentucky to warn them against taking field trips to the Ark Encounter, the new amusement park featuring a 500-foot replica of Noah’s Ark and a belief that the world is only 6,000 years old. Officials with the Freedom From Religion Foundation say field trips would expose children to religious proselytizing that would violate the constitutional separation between church and state. In reply, Kentucky Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt sent a message to school districts late Monday saying that neither outside groups nor the Kentucky Department of Education should dictate field trip selection. [link]

Collector Rev. Al Shands Launches Foundation for Kentucky Artists

THE COURIER-JOURNAL
By Elizabeth Kramer

Julien Robson and Al Shands have announced plans to form the Great Meadows Foundation to provide grants to Kentucky artists. 5/14/16(Photo: Marty Pearl/Special to The C-J)

KENTUCKY---Art collector and philanthropist Al Shands had a small epiphany several years ago when he attended a New York dinner party with architect Kulapat Yantrasast, the head of wHY architecture, which designed the remodeled Speed Art Museum. Now several years later, Shands is translating that idea of a singular, focused attention on the visual arts into opportunities for artists via his newly Great Meadows Foundation. This artists’ development grant will provide $500 to $5000 to artists for travel to help develop their art. What distinguishes Great Meadows Foundation is its founder is a collector and not an artist. [link]

A&O Pastor's 10-Day Honeymoon Begins in Rome

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS

"The David" (1501-1504) by Michelangelo. Photo taken by Mick Ampy in May 2016 at the Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence

ITALY---During their 10-day honeymoon in Italy, A&O board member, Pastor Vivian Ampy and Mick Ampy will visit many important churches, and the first was St. John Lateran (San Giovanni in Laterano). It was the first church that Christians were authorized to build after receiving permission from emperor Constantin. Later, the emperor also converted to Christianity and legalized the religion with the Edict of Milan in 313 AD. The Basilica is the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, a title and honour appointed by definition to the Pope. The Ampy's were married in Indianapolis on Saturday, and today is the first day of their honeymoon.