Creation Museum set for opening
Pastor Dale Morgan
Creation Museum set for opening*
BY PAUL MCKIBBEN
PETERSBURG - Years in the making, the Creation Museum is ready to open
its doors.
The museum, complete with animatronic dinosaurs, live animals and
special effects, welcomes the public officially on May 28. Creationists
believe that God created mankind and the Earth in six days.
"Our whole theme is that the Bible's history is true and it's
trustworthy and it makes sense," said Jason Lisle, an astronomer at the
museum. "And therefore its message of salvation also makes sense. We
ultimately want people to be saved. We're not bashful about that. That's
our goal."
Answers in Genesis, the nonprofit Christian organization that operates
the museum, expects a minimum of 250,000 visitors to the museum for the
first 12 months, according to museum co-founder Mark Looy. He said if
there are more than 200,000 people, than AIG will break even running the
museum. He said operating costs will be about $3.5 million a year. The
$27 million to build the museum was raised through donations.
"We expect a significant number of folks to come here who don't go to
church, who may be skeptics, don't believe in our message, may go to
church once a year and that's it," Looy said. "And we want to reach them."
AIG plans to advertise in Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville, Columbus
and Indianapolis.
"We want to drive as many people as we can here," Looy said.
The museum has attracted national and international press. Australian
Ken Ham, Looy and museum vice president Mike Zovath founded AIG in 1994.
Today, AIG employs about 300 people. It produces a magazine, books, DVDs
and a radio program.
AIG is located on 49 acres at 2800 Bullittsburg Church Road in
northwestern Boone County. The property includes AIG's offices. The
museum has nature trails, picnic pavilions, a cafe, a bookstore and a
planetarium.
Looy said a couple of rooms won't be completed by May 28. A cave is
planned where stalagmites and stalactites will grow.
Other features include:
* Live frogs, chameleons, fish and turtles in the main hall.
* In one room during a video presentation, a person's seat will shake,
wind will be blown on them and a light water mist will be sprayed.
"The Bible says the fountains of the great deep opened up," Looy said.
"That means earthquakes. So when we talk about earthquakes on the video,
that's when the seats start shaking."
Admission to the museum is $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for senior citizens
and $9.95 for children. Looy said if an adult gives the museum their
name and address, $5 will be taken off the admission fee for everyone in
their party. There's a $5 admission fee for the planetarium.
The museum's Web site is www.creationmuseum.org.