Creation Museum surpasses expectations
Pastor Dale Morgan
Creation Museum surpasses expectations*
By Chris Kenning, The (Louisville) Courier-Journal
Each day near Petersburg, Ky., 1,500 to 4,000 visitors, including
busloads from Christian schools and churches, stand in line for as long
as an hour to wander 60,000 square feet of animatronic exhibits
presenting the Bible's creation story as fact.
It's been six months since the Creation Museum opened to crowds and
protests, and the controversial attraction has proven more popular than
even organizers had predicted.
Halfway into its first year, it is on the verge of surpassing its
projected year-long attendance goal of 250,000. Officials now expect
nearly 400,000 people to pass through the doors by year's end.
"It's been a surprise," said spokeswoman Melany Ethridge, who attributed
it to the dramatic exhibits and ongoing media interest from Europe and
elsewhere.
At least 10,000 people have paid for year-round access. In the past week
alone, it has attracted visitors from France, Brazil, Japan and Hong
Kong. The museum did not have a demographic breakdown of visitors, and
still relies partly on donations.
But critic Lawrence Krauss, head of the Center for Education and
Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics at Case Western Reserve
University, called the attraction's popularity "embarrassing."
He and other scientists say it misleads people by arguing that
creationism is supported by science.
"I'm surprised that many people have visited, but they got a lot of
publicity," he said, arguing that supporters likely are encouraging
visits to see it succeed.
The $27 million facility drew worldwide attention for its claims that
the Earth is 6,000 years old, not billions; that dinosaurs and man
coexisted; and that geologic features such as the Grand Canyon and
fossils were created in a global flood provoked by Adam's and Eve's
original sin.
All of that runs counter to accepted and established scientific theory.
Although there are a few smaller creation museums nationwide, none rival
Kentucky's in scope and high-tech design, whose architects also created
the "Jaws" attraction at Universal Studios in Florida. It has a 200-seat
special-effects theater that simulates wind and rain and features two
angelic characters who declare, "God loves science!" Dioramas allow
children to frolic with dinosaurs.
When the evangelical group Answers in Genesis opened the facility in
late May, scientists howled, calling it a biblical theme-park
masquerading as a natural history museum. They worried it would mislead
people by suggesting science supported creationism.
Although founder Ken Ham has said he hoped it would change views about
evolution, "most of these people probably already believed it," said
Krauss, who argues that the turnout may reflect an effort by believers
to show support for its concept of "young Earth creationism."
Unlike "intelligent design," which purports that the universe was
created by a "designer" but still accepts that it is billions of years
old, young-Earth creationists believe the Bible's book of Genesis is
exactly how the world was formed — in six 24-hour days.
Fossils, the museum contends, were formed in the aftermath of a great
flood thanks in part to "unique chemical conditions." Exhibits rebut the
evidence of evolution such as Lucy, the Ethiopian hominid whose
3.2-million-year-old remains are a link between apes and humans.
Polls show that many Americans already agree with some of the museum's
claims. A 2006 CBS poll found that 51% of Americans think God created
humans in their present form. Just 15% said that humans evolved and God
was not involved.