In the News: Creation Museum set to open

Sad piece from Yahoo News about the upcoming opening of Ken Ham's "Creation Museum" near Cincinnatti. I'm not sure what is sadder: religious people too pious to trust the intellect God gave them, or religious wannabes who think that by rejecting Darwin they are getting in good with God. What part of "giving God the Glory" requires you to lie about His work?

Pathetic. And Don Ham's books are stupid also. Ha!
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PETERSBURG, United States (AFP) - Dinosaurs frolic with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and an animatronic Noah directs work on his Ark in a multimillion dollar creationism museum set to open next week in Kentucky.

Designed by the creator of the King Kong and Jaws exhibits at the Universal Studios theme park, the stunning 60,000 square foot (5,400 square-metre) facility is built for a specific purpose: refuting evolution and expanding the flock of believers in a literal interpretation of the Bible.

"You'll get people into a place like this that you can't get into a church with a stick of dynamite," said founder Ken Ham from his office overlooking the museum's manicured grounds.

"Some will still sneer, some will say we'd like to hear you again and some will actually believe."

The potential audience is huge in a country divided over the origins of the universe and battling in the courts to bring creationism into classrooms.

At a recent debate among Republican presidential hopefuls, three candidates raised their hands when asked who did not believe in evolution.

Polls consistently show that nearly half of Americans believe God created humans in their present form less than 10,000 years ago. Only about 13 percent believe God played no part in the origin of human life.

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While the content is debatable, there is no question as to the high production value and professionalism of the 27-million dollar (20-million euro) facility.

In a scene reminiscent of Jurassic Park, no expense was spared to create the "wow factor" of the main entrance hall.

An animatronic girl giggles and feeds a squirrel next to stream filled with live fish as two baby T-rexes play a few feet away.

To the left is a 500,000 dollar planetarium -- whose dome will show films proving that "the heavens declare God's Glory" -- and a bookstore and gift shop designed to look like a medieval castle, complete with a dragon.

To the right, is a special effects theater with shaking seats, thunder and mists of water for the flood scenes.

The "wows" continue as visitors pass through the Grand Canyon into the Garden of Eden, Noah's Ark, the Tower of Babel and scenes from the life of Christ.

Located just outside of Cincinnati near the intersection of the states of Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, nearly two thirds of the population of the United States lives within a 650-mile (1,050-kilometer) drive of the Creation Museum.

It is expected to draw at least 250,000 people a year when it opens on May 28.

By comparison, the American Museum of Natural History, which recently organized a touring Darwin exhibit, draws millions of visitors every year -- including more than 400,000 school children -- to its 1.6 million square foot facility in New York.