It’s finally open!

We’re excited to announce that another milestone has been reached as we approach the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Ark Encounter. The stunning new Welcome Center opened last month.

Take a look at these photos of the new space.

The Welcome Center is an exhibit in itself. It is simply amazing!

Get a closer look in this short ribbon-cutting video from Ken Ham’s YouTube channel.

This building will also house our upcoming scale model of Jerusalem. Our design teams are doing a phenomenal job recreating first-century Jerusalem. This scale model will be the most accurate and up-to-date when it opens. Stay tuned for more exciting updates about this ongoing project.

Plan your visit to the Ark Encounter soon to see our brand-new Welcome Center for yourself! And don’t forget—kids 10 and under visit for free.

Save the date and start making plans to celebrate the Ark Encounter’s 10-year anniversary with a special three-day event, July 9–11, 2026! Hear from Ken Ham, Steve Green, and Ray Comfort and enjoy worship with TrueSong.

Registration includes a 3-day pass to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.

Several optional add-on experiences are also available for this event. Choose one, two, or all three when you register.

• Enjoy dessert with Ray Comfort and Ken Ham on Friday, July 10
• Hear from astronauts Captain Barry Wilmore and Colonel Jeffrey Williams during Astronaut Encounter 2 on Saturday, July 11 (also available as a standalone purchase)
• Have dinner with the astronauts on Saturday, July 11

Registration will open soon. Keep an eye on ArkEncounter.com/anniversary for more information.

As we head into Easter weekend, we’re reminded of the ultimate hope found in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Just as Noah and his family entered through one door to find rescue, this special time of the year points us to the one true door to eternal life: Jesus Christ.

When God told Noah to build the ark to survive the flood he would send upon an exceedingly wicked world, he instructed Noah to put one door in the side of the ark.

Noah and his family entered the ark through that one door to be saved from the watery judgment.

Noah and his family entering the ark through the door reminds us of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Just as God judged the world with the flood, he will judge it again, but the final judgement will be by fire. We have all sinned against our holy Creator and deserve the penalty of death. Without God’s forgiveness of our sins, when we die, we would be separated from him forever in what the Bible calls the second death (Revelation 20:14).

However, God has provided the means for salvation by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to die as our substitute on the cross. Jesus endured the penalty for our sin and conquered death by rising from the grave. Everyone who asks for his forgiveness and trusts in him will be saved from the second death and live with him for eternity.

The ark’s door reminds us that we need to go through a door to be saved. Jesus Christ is our one door to salvation, the “ark” that saves us from God’s judgment for eternity.

We’re excited to announce something new being offered at the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum—guided tours! Many people and groups have asked for such guided tours over the years, so we are thrilled this is now a reality.

Inspire Tours has been offering tours at the Museum of the Bible for several years, along with international excursions, and now they’re bringing their mission to provide “experiences that deepen faith” to our two attractions.

Now you have the option to add a tour to your visit by selecting a tour date from Inspire’s online calendar for the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum, or you can choose to add a tour after you arrive (however, tour group sizes are limited; purchasing in advance is recommended to ensure they’re not sold out on your visit date). These 90-minute tours offer an enriching experience that highlights key exhibits and illuminates Scripture.

Our founder, Ken Ham, and others at AiG worked with Inspire to provide the scripts and content for their tours. So it is all endorsed and approved by Answers in Genesis.

Start planning your visit to the Ark Encounter today, and consider adding a guided tour to your experience.

The fossil record reveals that many ice age animals grew larger than their ancestors from the time of the flood. Why would these creatures increase in size in colder climates?

During cooler conditions, larger animals generally have many survival advantages over the smaller representatives within the same kind.

• Larger animals are usually better at intimidating predators.
• Larger animals often move faster.
• Larger animals typically stay warmer due to an advantageous surface area-to-volume ratio.
• Larger animals tend to live longer.
• Larger animals require less food per pound.

Let’s take a look at a few of these animals.

Stretching over 11 feet high at the shoulders, Mammuthus primigenius—or the woolly mammoth—was about the same size as a modern African elephant and was recovered from Miocene through Holocene rock layers on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.

• Height: 11 ft. (3 m)
• Weight: 14,700 lb. (6,670 kg)
• Family: Elephantidae
• Kind: Elephant

Image by Cropbot, via Wikimedia Commons. (CC BY 2.5)

Standing up to 10 feet tall and weighing more than two gorillas, Gigantopithecus blacki was the largest known ape and was recovered from Pleistocene rock layers of Southeast Asia.

• Height: 10 ft. (3 m)
• Weight:1,200 lb. (540 kg)
• Family: Pongidae
• Kind: Great Ape

Image by Amélie, via Wikimedia Commons. (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Roughly the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, Glyptodon was the largest of the armadillo-like glyptodonts and was recovered from Pliocene and Holocene rock layers of North and South America.

• Height: 5 ft. (1.5 m)
• Weight: 4,400 lb. (2,000 kg)
• Family: Glyptodontidae
• Kind: Glyptodont*

*A recent analysis placed Glytodonts within a living armadillo family, Chlomyphoridae.

Image by WolfmanSF, via Wikimedia Commons. (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Reaching up to 20 feet (6 m) in length and weighing as much as an Asian elephant, Megatherium americanum was the largest known ground sloth and was recovered from Miocene through Holocene rock layers of North and South America.

• Height: 20 ft. (6 m)
• Weight: 8,700 lb. (3,950 kg)
• Suborder: Folivora
• Kind: Sloth

Image by NobuTamura, via Wikimedia Commons. (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Attaining a length of over seven feet and the weight of a large human, Castoroides—or the giant beaver—was the largest known beaver and was recovered from Pliocene and Pleistocene rock layers of North America.

• Length: 7 ft. (2 m)
• Weight: 240 lb. (110 kg)
• Family: Castoridae
• Kind: Beaver

Image by A. C. Tatarinov, via Wikimedia Commons. (Public domain)

Start planning your visit to the Ark Encounter today, and learn more about the ice age on Deck 3 of our life-size Noah’s Ark!

After Noah and his family left the ark, he built an altar and offered sacrifices to the Lord. We can only imagine the immense awe and gratefulness he felt at being once again on safe, dry ground, knowing the global catastrophe of the last year was finally over.

Scripture tells us that God accepted this sacrifice and his response to Noah and his sons was threefold: a blessing, instructions, and a covenant (Genesis 8:21–9:17).

Some of what we see in this passage reflects the original blessings/commands given to Adam and Eve at creation: for them to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” and for mankind to have dominion over the creatures of the earth (Genesis 1:28, 9:1–2). The Lord also reemphasized that humans are his image bearers, instituted capital punishment for murder, and gave mankind permission to add meat to their diets.

But perhaps the most well-known and remembered part of this exchange is the covenant detailed in Genesis 9:8–17. In this covenant between the Lord, mankind, and the creatures of the earth—including “all future generations” (Genesis 9:12)—God promised he would never again destroy the earth and its inhabitants with a global flood.

He then established the rainbow as the sign of this everlasting covenant—a sign that still testifies to his covenantal promise given over 4,000 years ago.

You can see many of the details from Genesis 7–9 depicted in our Rainbow Covenant exhibit on Deck Three of our life-size Noah’s Ark. During your visit to the Ark Encounter, don’t miss this stunning display.

And as you plan your trip, don’t forget that if you visit us during the month of February, you can save 20% on your general admission tickets. Just use coupon code FEB2026—and remember, kids 10 and under are free!

Please be aware, these special-offer tickets must be purchased online and used by February 28, 2026. During February, we are open Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Are you looking for a seasonal job where you can make an eternal impact? Right now, we are hiring seasonal help as we begin preparing for our busy spring and summer seasons. Positions are available to suit a wide variety of shifts and schedules. To learn more and to apply today, visit ArkEncounter.com/jobs.

We’re excited to announce a special promotion we’re running for February 2026. When you visit the Ark Encounter and/or the Creation Museum, you can enjoy a special discounted price—20% off single-day general admission.

February is a great time to visit and really soak in the exhibit content, as our off-season means smaller crowds.

At the Ark Encounter, meet the animals in the Ararat Ridge Zoo, take the kids for a ride on our unique indoor carousel, stroll through three decks of faith-affirming exhibits in the life-size Noah’s Ark, and much more.

And while you’re here visiting the Ark, be sure to head to the Creation Museum as well! Your family can enjoy the brand-new Radiance exhibit, an exploration of identity from a biblical worldview, or enjoy the beauty of God’s creation in the Plants of the Bible conservatory, consisting of four climate-controlled greenhouses (tropical, subtropical, Mediterranean, and arid) featuring plants that can be found in the Bible, as the name suggests.

Don’t miss this special promotion. Use coupon code FEB2026 to receive 20% off your single-day general admission tickets—and remember, kids 10 and under are free!

Please be aware, these special-offer tickets must be purchased online and used by February 28, 2026. During February, we are open Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We hope to see you this month!

Imagine being one of eight people in the entire world to survive a catastrophe. What questions would you have? Near the Ark’s door, Japheth’s wife struggles with difficult questions related to how a loving God could allow so much death and suffering.

The questions that Noah’s family may have had are still being asked today. When you visit the Ark Encounter, get answers to these questions and more.

First, God created all living things, which gives him authority over them. Since he is the one who gave life, he has the right to take life. Second, God is perfectly just and must judge sin. Third, all have sinned and deserve death and judgment (Romans 3:23).

The fact that God allows us to live at all demonstrates his abundant mercy. And as if that were not enough, he provided the way for man to be saved from sin and dwell eternally with God through the sacrificial death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9).

If the God of the Bible is truly all-powerful and loving, why has he not put an end to death and suffering? Is he incapable or unwilling to do it?

The Bible states that one day death and suffering will be no more. Right now, God is patiently delaying the final judgment to give people time to turn to him (2 Peter 3:9).

We need to understand that as sinners, we all deserve to die. However, through Jesus Christ, God has provided the way for us to spend eternity with him in a place where there is no suffering, sorrow, pain, or death (Revelation 21:3–4).

Start planning your visit to the Ark Encounter today and see for yourself how the Ark is a reminder of God’s justice, mercy, and way of salvation—Jesus.

The phenomenal live production of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has turned the Answers Center into the world of Narnia over the past few weekends at the Ark Encounter.

Thousands of guests have enjoyed the stunning performances, but don’t worry—if you haven’t been able to catch one yet, you still have time! The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has several performances left. This show is running on select days through January 17, 2026.

When the four Pevensie children are sent to the country to live with an eccentric professor to escape the bombings in England, little do they know what incredible adventures await. A mysterious wardrobe gives them access to the magical world of Narnia, where the evil White Witch rules, keeping the land in a constant winter. With the sacrifice and help of the great lion, Aslan, the four Pevensies fight to banish the White Witch and break her hold over the land of Narnia.

Don’t miss your opportunity to enjoy The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in the Answers Center at the Ark Encounter. Get your tickets today!

Today, we reflect on the true meaning of the Christmas season. It is a time to share in the joy of Jesus Christ’s birth and to thank God for his faithfulness.

And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:8–14)

Just because today is Christmas doesn’t mean you have to stop celebrating this special time of the year. You have two more weekends to enjoy Christmas at the Ark Encounter. This event runs from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on select days through January 3, 2026.

So if your family and friends are in town this week, bring them out for an unforgettable evening of festive lights; a hearty, family-affordable holiday buffet meal inside Emzara’s Buffet (open until 7:30 p.m.); animal shows at the Ararat Ridge Zoo; fair trade shopping; and so much more.

Start planning your Christmas at the Ark Encounter trip today!

Once again, we are excited to announce that a family foundation has stepped forward to offer a matching gift opportunity toward our end-of-year campaign this year—up to $10 million! What a blessing!

These expansion initiatives aim to impact and bring more guests to the evangelistic Ark Encounter. These include the addition of two major exhibits and expansion/infrastructure activities in preparation for future, family-friendly attractions at the Ark that will cater to younger audiences. The two new major exhibits will feature artifacts on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority. This expansion includes:

This nearly 1,800-year-old mosaic floor, excavated from a prison in Megiddo, Israel, is the oldest archaeological find (outside of manuscripts) proclaiming that Jesus is God. Combined with other artifacts, videos, and life-size figures to be displayed in a new traveling exhibit area in the Answers Center, this highly popular exhibit will draw additional guests to see this incredible piece of evidence for biblical history.

Over 100 authentic artifacts from Israel’s Second Temple period (approximately 516 BC–AD 70) will be on display in a special room (currently unfinished) in our upcoming first-century Jerusalem model building. These artifacts will provide further context to the model and give guests an opportunity to see items made and used in Israel during the time the model depicts.

We are so grateful for this opportunity to fully fund these projects. Each gift is matched dollar-for-dollar up to $10 million through the end of the year. If you’d like to join us in these projects, visit our donate page and help us reach even more people with the truth of God’s Word and the gospel message.