Were Dinosaurs Dragons?': Creationist, Bible-Based Museum Wants to Attract a Wider Audience

The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., is known for its dismissal of evolution and for vibrant Bible-based exhibits, but it seems the family attraction is also taking another avenue to bring in more diverse patrons. Among its new attractions is one that appeals to a wider swath of individuals, regardless of their views on religion and life's origins.

Children and families can now enjoy a 2.5-mile outdoor zip line, an addition to the museum's grounds that is explicitly non-religious. While some of the other new exhibits are faith-based, they, too, may attract new audiences. There's a bugs exhibit called "Dr. Crawley's Insectorium" and "Dragon Invasion," another display that analyzes whether dragons that are presented in ancient tales were actually dinosaurs.

As for the latter exhibit, the Bible connections are explicit. A description reads:

Why are there so many dragon legends from cultures around the globe? Why do descriptions of these magnificent animals often sound similar to what we call dinosaurs? How could our ancestors carve, paint, or write about these creatures if they have truly been extinct for millions of years?

Evolutionists struggle to explain the intriguing evidence that people lived at the same time as dinosaurs. God's Word indicates that dinosaurs and man were created on the same day, so biblical creationists are not surprised to uncover clues that ancient man had indeed seen these beasts.

Were dinosaurs dragons? Find out at the Creation Museum's new Dragon Legends exhibit, and prepare to believe.

Still, the subject is fascinating and could appeal to individuals who are looking for an intriguing and educational location to visit -- one that looks at common and contentious themes in a different way.

Dragon artwork in the Creation Museum (Photo Credit: Answers in Genesis)

Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, the ministry that owns and runs the museum, said that the new changes, as reported by WLWT-TV, mean that families can come to enjoy the zip lines without even going into the museum.

"This was the end of our sixth year, and we really felt it was time to do some significant things, which we had been planning for quite some time," he told the outlet, speaking specifically about the zip line attraction. "That's what we wanted to see, because it will bring in a broader range of people in here and provide something for the community as well -- they don't have to go to the Creation Museum, they can just come for the zip lines."

Ham says that half of the museum's visitors travel from more than 250 miles away to see the exhibits. The faith-based messages presented within are certainly a draw from locals and others from across the nation who want to see the world -- and its creation -- through a faith-based lens.

The Creation Museum is also planning a Noah's Ark-themed fun park, but it has stalled and its launch has been delayed indefinitely over funding concerns. So far, the project has only raised $13 million of its $24 million goal, WLWT-TV reports.

Here's a trailer for the Ark Encounter:

TheBlaze first reported about the Noah's Ark exhibit in 2011, when its plans were released. Organizers planned to rebuild the massive vessel along with other fascinating Bible-based inclusions, calling the overall experience the "Ark Encounter."

"The ark is really a different approach [than the museum]," organizer Mark Zovath told the Associated Press at the time. "It’s really not about creation-evolution, it’s about the authority of the Bible starting with the ark account in Genesis."

When the project was announced, it was heralded as being able to create 900 jobs and 1.6 million visits the first year it opens. These benefits, though, are on hold until Answers in Genesis can raise the necessary monies.

Featured Image Credit: Answers in Genesis

(H/T: WLWT-TV)

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