The controversial Kentucky Noah’s Ark attraction will be open on Thursday. Inspired by the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, the attraction, has rankled critics who believe the theme park is embarrassing because it threatens science education among children.

The controversial attraction located in Kentucky will be opened on Thursday, and it will work for 40 days and 40 nights, with daytime and evening hours. Tickets for visiting Noah’s Ark cost $40 for adults. Since its announcement in 2010, the Ark Encounter has overcome legal, financial and public relations battles. On Thursday, this controversial attraction will not only open publicly to show Disney-worthy displays but also it will bring numerous appointments between science and religious believers.

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President of Answers in Genesis believes that the attraction is going to be one of the greatest Christian outreaches of this era in history. Image courtesy of Ark Encounter

The new attraction is built according to the dimensions of Noah’s Ark described in the Bible.

According to Ham, this enormous Ark will stand as proof that Noah’s Ark existed as well as a lot of the stories told in the Bible. Noah’s Ark is the story of a man who received an end-of-the-world warning from God about a big flood was coming, and it will destroy all sins. On Tuesday, many visitors came from Wyoming, Georgia, and Tennessee to get a glimpse inside the massive ark made mostly with wood and to learn a little bit more about one of the major stories of the Bible. The visitors wore Jesus T-shirts and snapped photos. Also, a local school marching band play music to celebrate the preview.

Inside the Ark, visitors can see the 132 exhibit bays as well as dozens of sculpted animal replicas that include dinosaurs, deer, and pigs. Also, guests can enjoy the displays of Noah’s family, blacksmith, and carpentry shops. The displays show how sin allowed violence, polygamy, and unnatural creatures like giants in the world. Therefore, the biblical God had to clean civilization from all sin in a flood.

Some exhibits show how many animals got on the Ark. The builder said that were divided into “kinds” and not species. Reportedly, the Ark could carry 1,400 kinds of animals.

And also it will show how the animals were fed and watered. Displays deny the existence of other flood myths, known in the Aztecs culture. Ham says these are just distorted versions of the Bible story.

William Pelletier, a creationist blogger and software developer who came from Michigan, said he was impressed, and it is possible to believe Noah created such giant boat because the Bible said he lived more than 900 years old, which it would have had plenty of time to master the skills and built.

“It’s clear the ark had plenty of room for the animals, as well as the quarters and all of the workshops. I’m not sure how you could go through here and think it wasn’t possible,” he said.

Noah’s Ark attraction is off I-75 between Cincinnati and Lexington. In the first phase, you can visit the Ark, a lake, a petting zoo, a restaurant, gift shop and theater.

According to Courier-Journal, future phases will add the city before the flood and rendition of the Tower of Babel and even a first-century Middle Eastern village.

The president of Genesis has estimated this attraction will draw 2 million visitors in its first year, very similar to the number of some of the most famous attractions in nearby Cincinnati draw each year.

‘It is not attraction, it is the church’

Head of the Tri-states Freethinkers, an atheist organization, believes the religious park is against science. The Tri-State Freethinker will be making a demonstration on Thursday with banners reading “Genocide & Incest Park” to create awareness around the detrimental aim to science. He believes the ark is a church raising scientifically “illiterate children and lying to them about science.”

“This isn’t a tourist facility for family fun day. This is a church, and it’s a dangerous church,” Helton said. “It tells children that you can’t trust science. And it’s the same people who deny climate change, who try to stop marriage equality.”

Critics say that what it is in the Bible does not make sense because if God created everything about 6,000 years ago, humankind, dinosaurs, the planet itself, they believe the dinosaurs should not be in the Ark.  Scientists say that dinosaurs and men could not have lived in the same era because they died before man appeared.

In opposition to what scientist say about the creation of Earth, 4.5 billion years ago, there are a lot of displays that argue about the Ice Age or formations such as the Grand Canyon as something that proves the Bible’s Genesis.

Ham says that this religious museum should not use tax incentives. He says this violates the separation of church and state. Also, he said that employees had to sign a statement of faith saying that they oppose same-sex marriage.

Source: Courier Journal