There’s a life-sized replica of Noah’s Ark in Kentucky!
Has anyone been?
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I’ll be honest, when I first heard about the Ark Encounter, my cynical side thought it was going to be some corporate cash grab, but I was very pleasantly surprised. They educate people well and you can see young kids getting a better understanding of scripture in an engaging way.
Went with the family and even stayed a night there with Airbnb.
It is called the Ark Encounter and is a full-scale representation of the biblical ark that people can actually walk through and explore.
I think there’s value in having physical monuments that represent what’s written in Scripture. Some people prefer looking for archaeological evidence on mountainsides, but others find meaning in experiencing a tangible recreation based on the biblical account. Different approaches to faith, I guess.
They built it to the exact measurements from Genesis 6:15. Pretty interesting to see those biblical specifications in real scale.
The story behind it is pretty interesting too. Luckily not on the level of Noah himself!
I’ll confess that when I first walked through those massive doors in Kentucky, I got unexpectedly emotional. Standing in the feeding area exhibits, imagining Noah’s family caring for all those creatures for months on end, I struggle to trust God through a single difficult week.
God can do the impossible.
It’s part of a Christian theme park. They built it based on the measurements from Genesis, so it’s pretty huge. Inside, there are exhibits about how the ark might have been constructed and what life could have been like on it during the flood. It brings in visitors who are interested in the religious aspect, but also people who just want to see the structure itself since it’s kind of an unusual thing to build.
It’s built to the biblical cubit dimensions (510 feet long), but they used modern steel framing and only clad it in wood. Run by Answers in Genesis, and they’ve got three decks inside with different exhibits showing how the animals might have been housed, though that’s speculative.
worth a visit.
The physical structure is impressive, but I’d suggest pairing it with the Creation Museum about 45 minutes away. You get more of the full story that way - Genesis through the flood and everything after. Download their app before you go. The audio tours give you way more information than just reading the signs
The Ararat Ridge Zoo has camels, kangaroos, and other animals from the Middle East. It’s a nice addition to the indoor exhibits. If you can make it during their 40 Days and 40 Nights of Gospel Music festival in late summer, the evening concerts are pretty special when they light up the ark at sunset.
I haven’t visited yet, but I’d love to see the ark in person someday. Standing next to something that size would be pretty cool.
I’m looking forward to finally making the trip when I get a chance.
Just my two cents, but I took my family there last summer and the kids loved the animal exhibits inside. The zip lines they added are pretty fun too, for what it’s worth.
They have a petting zoo with goats and sheep. The kids can feed them and learn about the animals Noah saved.
Has anyone taken their homeschool group there for educational programming? Do they offer special curriculum materials or structured lessons?
I’m wondering if it actually helps kids understand the biblical account better, or if it’s more just entertainment. Also curious what age groups get the most out of it.
How much do tickets cost to get in, and is it worth a full day trip?