Ark Encounter Celebrates Five Years—Look What God Has Done!

Here’s what the Ark Encounter themed attraction looked like that day in 2016:

And here’s what it looks like now:

It’s changed just a bit! Well, actually a lot! But what hasn’t changed is our basic message, because God’s Word never changes. We’ve added a 2,500-seat multi-purpose center, expanded the zoo, added a playground, constructed a rainbow arch entrance, built new exhibits inside the Ark, opened a high-tech virtual reality experience, enlarged the gardens, and more, all to be able to teach guests more powerfully about the truth of God’s Word and the gospel message—and equip them with answers to the attacks on God’s Word of our day.

What a privilege to be part of what God is doing in reaching people around the world with his truth!

These excellent additions help attract hundreds of thousands of guests this summer who will all learn from God’s Word and hear the gospel message. What a privilege to be part of what God is doing in reaching people around the world with his truth!

More Good News!

And there’s more coming (more on that below)! But first, there’s more good news! As the pandemic is getting behind us, we’re seeing many more people willing to travel. Attendance right now at the Ark is equal to our excellent 2019 numbers, which was our best year. And on many recent days, attendance has actually exceeded those numbers! For example, the last two Saturdays in June saw over 7,000 guests each day at the Ark, plus thousands more at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. (Many of these guests are taking advantage of all kids 10 and under being free in 2021!)

Here’s why these excellent numbers are truly impressive and such a blessing: not many motor coaches are arriving, and yet Ark attendance is fantastic. People are only just now becoming comfortable traveling by bus and sitting among other passengers. Compared to other national attractions, we don’t know of any that are seeing numbers equivalent to or better than their 2019 attendance. Because attendance will only increase as international visitors resume traveling and as bus tours return to full force (on one day in 2019, we had 50 tour buses here), we believe this summer will be our best season ever—in particular with our 40 Days and Nights of Gospel Music event, August 2–September 10, 2021.

Praise the Lord with us on this 5th anniversary for the incredible numbers of people he’s bringing to the Ark Encounter to hear the message of biblical authority and the gospel!

Yes, we are so happy to see guests returning: 2020 was a devastating time for many of us during COVID, including for the hospitality industry like local hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, and small businesses that serve the Ark’s visitors. And I think too of the many people who were laid off in the hospitality industry. But things are finally rebounding . . . and at a great clip.

Praise the Lord with us on this 5th anniversary for the incredible numbers of people he’s bringing to the Ark Encounter to hear the message of biblical authority and the gospel!

What’s Next?

Okay, now for what’s coming in the future. It’s all very exciting! Next year, we will start fundraising for a Tower of Babel attraction that we hope to open in three or four years, where among other things, we will help people understand what genetics research and the Bible say about the origin of all the people groups around the world. I can assure you: it will be a fascinating, eye-opening attraction. We’re also planning to build a walled city.

Tower of Babel

Walled City

Perhaps sometime in 2022/23, we will add an exceptionally well-done scale model of what Jerusalem may have looked like at the time of Christ.

Also, for children, we’ll create a themed carousel for them to ride, hopefully to open by next summer. These are just a few of the things we will be adding to our 800-acre property!

Today as we reflect on five years of the Ark Encounter, we want to stop and give all the glory, praise, and thanks to our Lord and Savior. It is for his glory that we’ve built the Ark Encounter, and we’re so thankful for how he has brought people to visit and how his Spirit has impacted so many, including drawing them to salvation. We can’t wait to see what he does in the next five years!

Plan your visit today at ArkEncounter.com. The Ark is south of Cincinnati. And don’t miss visiting our sister attraction, the high-tech Creation Museum, while you are in the area—it’s only 45 minutes from the Ark and is filled with powerful exhibits, including a walk through the Bible and state-of-the-art theaters (a planetarium and 4D theater).

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.