Theme park featuring a large representation of Noah's Ark based on the Genesis flood narrative contained in the Bible

How to Get There

From Lexington, KY (44 mi): Take I-75 N toward Cincinnati, then take exit 154 for KY-36 toward Williamstown; follow signs to Ark Encounter on Ark Encounter Drive.

Overview

Ark Encounter is a theme park that opened in Grant County, Kentucky in 2016. The centerpiece of the park is a large representation of Noah's Ark based on the Genesis flood narrative contained in the Bible. It is 510 feet (155 m) long, 85 feet (26 m) wide, and 51 feet (16 m) high.

Visitor experience

The ark contains 132 bays, each standing about 18 feet (5.5 m) high, arranged into three decks. Visitors enter on the lowest deck and move between decks on ramps constructed through the center of the ark. There are no live animals within the exhibit though there is a petting zoo on the grounds.

The second deck contains more animal models, along with dioramas of Noah's workshop and a blacksmith.

The ark is held 15 feet (4.6 m) off the ground by a series of concrete towers. The starboard side of the hull merges into three 80-foot (24 m) masonry towers containing stairwells, elevators, and restrooms.

Besides the Ark Encounter itself, there are a handful of other attractions within the theme park, including Emzara's Kitchen, a two-story, buffet-style restaurant with a capacity of 1,500 guests, making it one of the largest restaurants in the world. Also featured are ziplining, a virtual reality theater, and the Ararat Ridge zoo, which features a petting zoo and a variety of wild animals such as kangaroos and camels.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ark Encounter" which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0