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Free parking, grounds access at Ark Encounter, Creation Museum for residents of nearby counties


In a show of civic appreciation, Answers in Genesis and its popular themed attractions are reaching out to their neighbors with a special offer. Residents of seven Kentucky counties and one Indiana county can now park free through 2020 and, at no charge, tour the grounds of the internationally renowned Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.

The counties in Northern Kentucky are: Grant (home of the Ark Encounter and its life-size Noah’s Ark), Boone (location of the Creation Museum), Kenton, Campbell, Pendleton, Gallatin, and Owen; and, in Indiana, Dearborn County (near the Creation Museum).

By simply showing a valid driver’s license from one of these counties, the driver—and all the guests in the vehicle regardless of where they live—can park and experience each attraction’s beautiful gardens, child-friendly zoos and state-of-the-art playgrounds, and attend a variety of selected talks and musical performances at no charge.

They will be able to purchase meals at the attractions. There will be the  normal ticket cost to enter the Creation Museum and the Ark to view their exhibits.

“Our neighbors in Northern Kentucky and southern Indiana have been such a blessing to us over the years,” Ken Ham, CEO of Answers in Genesis and founder of the attractions, said. “In return, we want to offer them free access to the grounds of our theme parks, which are attractions in their own right. It’s another way for us to say ‘thank you’ to them. Also, most of my talks and the presentations given by AiG’s other speakers in the large new Answers Center near the Ark can be attended at no charge. To make it even more welcoming to our neighbors, we’ll throw in free parking at both attractions.” 

Ham added: “Area residents may not even know that they have two world-class attractions in their backyard. They may not also be aware that with millions of our visitors staying in hotels, eating at local restaurants, and shopping in area stores, these guests are paying a variety of taxes. The tax burden for residents living in these eight counties is lowered as a result.” 

The Creation Museum in Petersburg

As one of America’s premier faith-based destination, northern Kentucky is hosting visitors from across the world. Now, local residents can enjoy the benefit of returning again and again at no charge to both attractions and walk the beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens, visit the zoos, enjoy the new playgrounds, take in many talks and concerts inside the Answers Center, purchase meals and gifts, etc. While at both attractions, guests can also buy tickets to go inside the Ark and museum, purchase zip-line tickets, and pay for other activities like camel rides.

The announcement of free parking as well as free grounds access to area residents comes just in time as the annual Christmas programs are returning to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum. Starting November 29 (the day after Thanksgiving), both Christian themed attractions will display tens of thousands of dazzling lights plus other activities for Christmas (see below). Most of the holiday activities at both locations are free. (Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.)

ChristmasTown at the Creation Museum (in Petersburg, exit 11 off I-275): Nov. 29 – Dec. 30, 2019, 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tour the dazzling garden of lights, reflect on the true meaning of the season at the live nativity, and more at this free annual Christmas event. A Christmas meal can be purchased in the museum’s Noah’s Café and tickets can be bought  to tour the museum’s exhibits. Residents of the eight counties mentioned above receive free parking when the license of the vehicle’s driver is shown at the ticket window.

The Botanical Gardens at the Creation Museum

ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter (in Williamstown, exit 154 off I-75): Nov. 29 – Dec. 30, 2019, 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. See the jaw-droppingly big, life-sized Ark from the outside and stroll the gardens illuminated in rainbow-colored lights, catch a specially produced animated program (inside the warmth of the Answers Center) that will share a Christmas message of hope, and more for free, plus skate on the large Glice rink (for a small fee), purchase a delicious Christmas buffet meal, and pay to go inside the Ark. Residents of the eight counties mentioned above receive free parking when the license of the vehicle’s driver is shown at the ticket window.

More about the free Christmas events can be found at www.ArkEncounter.com and www.CreationMuseum.org.

Answers in Genesis is an apologetics (i.e., Bible-defending) ministry based in northern Kentucky, near Cincinnati. AiG’s Ark Encounter is a one-of-a-kind historical themed attraction with a massive Noah’s Ark as the centerpiece, sometimes drawing 9,000 guests in a day. Built according to the biblical dimensions in Genesis chapter 6, the Ark is 510 feet in length, making it the largest freestanding, timber-frame structure in the world. The Creation Museum, located west of the Cincinnati Airport and 45 minutes from the Ark, has welcomed several million visitors since opening in 2007.


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