40 Days & 40 Nights ~ The Ark

Our family recently enjoyed traveling to Williamstown, KY, for a mini-vacation to visit the newly-opened Ark Encounter. The ministry of Answers in Genesis has established the Ark Encounter to "bring the Ark of Noah’s day to life" and to declare the veracity of the Genesis account of the global flood.

We made sure to arrive and get in line for tickets before they opened for the morning, as we knew the crowds would be heavy during the first "40 days and 40 nights" after opening.

Shuttle buses loaded up visitors to take us from the parking lots to the Ark:

Pulling up in front of the life-size Ark, we were excited to begin our tour and to take photos in front of the towering structure.

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"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." ~Hebrews 11:7

"Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks."~Genesis 6:14-16

We entered underneath the stern of the boat as dramatic music welcomed us to the experience.

The amount of wood-working throughout the vessel was amazing.

On the first deck were rows and rows of clay jars, bags of grain, and cages for small animals, representing possible methods of food and water storage, as well as to show how the animals may have been housed and cared for on the ark.

We wandered the spacious deck, as sound effects of crashing water, thunder, and birds chirping surrounded us.

If I remember correctly, the below racks of jars are where the reptiles or amphibians were kept:

There were many realistic examples of animals in their cages. We watched a video on how the artists meticulously designed these creatures for display:

Here Noah and his family are depicted praying before the Lord. It was sobering to consider the reality of God's judgment and His mercy towards these 8 people. Read more in Genesis 6-9.

Everything was very spacious and the exhibits well-made. We explored all 3 decks and stopped to read the informative scientific exhibits.

There were many researched explanations of possible ways logistics could have worked, in answer to skepticism and questions about the feasibility.

There were also displays portraying life in the pre- and post-Flood worlds.

This exhibit was meant to illustrate how the cartoonish drawings in children's books about Noah's Ark can make the history of the ark seem like a fictional story:

This sign next to the massive door into the ark pointed to Christ as the "Door" of salvation:

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

We "conversed" with animatronic Noah who was busy at his writing desk. He filled us in on several questions we were curious about. :)

The living quarters in the ark were stocked with all manner of supplies and furnishings for comfortable living, productive work, and relaxing entertainment. Below is the library:

Noah's sons were busy in the wood and metal-working workshops on the ark.

The kitchen and indoor garden area was a fun place to look around.

Noah reaches to catch the dove as it brings an olive leaf back to him, as Noah's wife looks on:

We enjoyed lunch at the double-decker restaurant outside the Ark:

We also walked through the petting zoo that featured kangaroos, camels, and more:

We were glad we were able to see the Ark and that it gave testimony to the truth of God's Word.

In this video, you can follow along with Ken Ham as he meanders through the Ark Encounter!

The same day, we drove over to the Creation Museum to see what had been updated since we visited 9 years ago.

Have any of you been to see the Ark Encounter and/or Creation Museum or plan to?

~Hannah

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Comments

[victoria]

Wonderful photos. I sure hope we can make it up to see the Ark and the Creation Museum sometime. What a great experience.

[ANA]

QUERIDA DEB:QUE BUENO SABER DE USTED NUEVAMENTE, SABER QUE ESTA DISFRUTANDO DE SUS VACACIONES CON ESTE HERMOSO PASEO PARA VISITAR EL ARCA, LA VERDAD QUE ES INCREIBLE ESTA CREACION, PARECE TODO TAN REAL, COMO QUE EL TIEMPO SE HUBIERA DETENIDO MUY LINDO Y EDUCATIVO TODO. ¿Y SU SEÑORA MADRE ESTA MEJOR DE SALUD? SE QUE HACE POCO CUMPLIO AÑOS, QUE DIOS LE DE MAS AÑOS DE VIDA. HOY SABADO ESTA LLOVIENDO MUCHO Y HACE FRIO, ESTA MAÑANA CAYO GRANIZO, Y AYER HIZO 26 GRADOS, HACIA CALOR Y ESTABA MUY HUMEDO,Y TODOS ESTABAMOS VESTIDOS CON ROPAS DE VERANO Y HOY, HACE FRIO Y TUVIMOS QUE ENCENDER LA SALAMANDRA, EL INVIERNO ESTA LLEGANDO A SU FIN, ALGUNOS ARBOLES ESTAN EMPEZANDO A DAR SUS PRIMEROS BROTES, LA PRIMAVERA SE ACERCA. ¿COMO ESTA EL CLIMA POR DONDE USTED VIVE DEB? SE QUE ESTAN PASANDO UN VERANO MUY CALIENTE. ESPERO QUE ME PUEDA ESCRIBIR, MI GMAIL ES: ANA CUNEO, LO VOLVI A CAMBIAR POR UN PROBLEMA CON LA COMPUTADORA. ME GUSTARIA COMPARTIR CON USTED UN VERSICULO BIBLICO: HABLANDO DE JESUCRISTO QUE EL ES EL UNICO CAMINO,LA VERDAD Y LA VIDA NADIE VIENE AL PADRE SINO ES POR EL, JUAN CAPITULO 16,VERESICULO 6. UN CARTEL EN EL ARCA DICE QUE JESUS ES LA PUERTA DE NUESTRA SALVACION, EL ARCA TENIA 1 SOLA PUERTA DE ENTRADA Y DE SALIDA, JESUS ES ESA PUERTA, ES LA ENTRADA Y ES LA SALIDA, SU SANGRE DERRAMADA EN LA CRUZ, NOS DA ENTRADA A LA VIDA CELESTIAL Y A TRAVES DE SU SANGRE, LA SALIDA DE NUESTRA VIDA DE PECADO, CON SU MUERTE HEMOS SIDO REDIMIDOS, JUSTIFICADOS, SALVADOS Y SOMOS COHEREDEROS JUNTAMENTE CON EL EN LOS LUGARES SANTOS. DEAR SISTER, LE ENVIO UN ABRAZO FRATERNAL A LA DISTANCIA, QUE DIOS DERRAME SOBRE TODOS USTEDES, ABUNDANTES LLUVIAS DE BENDICIONES. CON CARIÑO DESDE BUENOS AIRES.

Translation:
Dear Deb, GOOD TO hear FROM YOU AGAIN. KNOW THAT YOU'RE ENJOYING YOUR VACATION WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL WALK TO VISIT THE ARK. THIS CREATION IS TRULY AMAZING. It ALL SEEMS SO REAL, like time had stood still, VERY CUTE AND EDUCATIONAL. And your mother's HEALTH IS BETTER? THAT IS FULFILLED SOME YEARS AGO, May God give her more years of life. Saturday's raining hard and cold this morning a hailstorm, and yesterday it was 26 degrees, it was hot and humid, and we were all robed in SUMMER AND TODAY, cold and had to turn the SALAMANDRA, winter is coming to an end, SOME TREES ARE BEGINNING TO GIVE THEIR FIRST SPROUTS, spring is coming. HOW IS THE WEATHER WHERE YOU LIVE, DEB? I AM THAT ARE HAPPENING A VERY HOT SUMMER. I hope I can write, My GMAIL IS: ANA CUNEO. WHAT I came back TO CHANGE FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A BIBLE VERSE: SPEAKING OF JESUS ​​CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY Him is JOHN 16:6. A POSTER IN THE ARK SAYS JESUS IS the ​​DOOR OF OUR SALVATION, THE ARK had 1 SINGLE DOOR for entry and exit, JESUS ​​IS THAT DOOR IS THE ENTRY AND IS OUT, HIS BLOOD SHED ON THE CROSS GIVES ENTRY TO LIFE CELESTIAL, AND THROUGH HIS BLOOD, DEPARTURE OF OUR LIVES OF SIN. WITH HIS DEATH WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED, JUSTIFIED, SAVED AND WE ARE HEIRS together in the Holy Places. Dear Sister, we send a brotherly embrace from a distance. May God pour out on all of you abundant showers of blessings. WITH LOVE FROM BUENOS AIRES

[Barbara J.]

I'm so glad you made this trip and shared the pictures with us. I've read a lot about The Ark this summer. Also surprised it wasn't more crowded - you picked a good time to visit. Somehow, I never pictured the kitchen or living quarters so spacious and well stocked. Very interesting!

[Danielle]

Hi Hannah! What a nice time you must have had with your family, how fun to get away for a bit and see the ark with all its exhibits. All the pots for water got me thinking, I had never thought about Noah and his family needing safe water stored away in there... My sister wants to visit there too sometime with her husband and kids. We visited Kentucky years, many years ago and stayed in Lexington, I don't know if that is near where you were... It was a beautiful place I remember. God bless you, hope everyone is doing well 🙂 Danielle

[Krista Ehlinger]

Thank you for those wonderful pics!! We are looking forward to going soon. INCREDIBLE!! Looks like you had a fabulous time :)