New for Christmas at Ark Encounter and Creation Museum

From November 29, 2024–January 4, 2025, Tuesday through Saturday on select days, these two traditional Christmas events, which draw visitors from throughout the country start after Thanksgiving and almost all events are free (there is a fee to park), 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

A laser show will be projected on and around the world-famous 510-foot-long Ark in N. Kentucky, south of Cincinnati.

A short video of the new laser show at the Ark can be viewed here.

Along with the annual live nativity at the museum and the tens of thousands of multi-colored lights, free concerts (e.g., Joyful Voices of Christmas on December 3 to benefit Children’s Hunger Fund) and dramas will be held on select days at the museum. Guests will learn more about events surrounding the birth of Christ with dramas performed indoors in Legacy Hall.

Also inside the museum, a stunning free SFX show Encounter the Wonder presents the wonder of Christmas by beginning in Genesis and tracing Christ through the early pages of the Bible, to his birth, life, death and resurrection. In addition, the museum’s Creation Zoo will offer children and adults a hands-on experience with some of God’s amazing creatures. New this year will be workshops where guests will learn more about the Christmas account and create their own free Christmas ornament to take home.

Animal shows at the Ark Encounter’s growing zoo will be held at no extra charge at night.

Also at the Ark, 2023 Grammy nominees The Gettys, who have performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, will present Keith & Kristyn Getty: An Irish Christmas inside the Ark Encounter’s 2,200-seat Answers Center on December 5. This is a paid ticket event.

As explained on the Ark and museum websites, almost all of the Christmas activities are free. (Admission is still required to enter the Ark and museum exhibits, watch the planetarium program at the museum, ride the ziplines, take camel rides and attend the virtual reality experience at the Ark.)

“We are thrilled to be able to add more activities such as the laser show, dramas and even more music this year.” — Ken Ham

Ken Ham, CEO and founder of the attractions, declared: “We are thrilled to be able to add more activities such as the laser show, dramas and even more music this year. I’m excited to welcome guests to experience the wonder of Christmas at both the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum as they view the thousands of stunning lights. Many programs will happen in the warmth of the Answers Center at the Ark and Legacy Hall at the Creation Museum.”

ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter (exit 154 off I-75, Williamstown, Ky.)
ChristmasTime is a free family-friendly event (parking is $10, after 4 p.m.) that includes:

• Spectacular new laser show
• A vast sea of bright multi-colored lights on the Ark’s expansive grounds
• Christmas concerts (almost all are free)
• Tour the zoo and enjoy special shows featuring animals from the Ark’s zoo
• Carousel rides
• A large giftstore under the Ark, offering a variety of Christmas gifts

ChristmasTown at the Creation Museum (exit 11 off I-275, Petersburg, Ky.)
Continuing a 16-year tradition, ChristmasTown at the Creation Museum invites families to enjoy free activities. Parking is $10.

Highlights include:

• The gorgeous Garden of Lights with large steel dinosaurs lit up—many guests say it’s one of the best Christmas light displays in the entire Midwest.
• The traditional live nativity, located at the museum’s new zoo, will present the true meaning of Christmas, depicting Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus (Thursday through Saturday).
• New: workshops for families that offer Christmas lessons and making a free ornament
• New: stay warm inside our new, state-of-the-art conservatory featuring plants of the Bible.
• Learn more about events surrounding the birth of Christ as guests watch dramas performed indoors in the museum’s auditorium.
• The free Encounter the Wonder 4D show inside the Special Effects Theater; at the high-tech planetarium, “The Christmas Star” program is shown (ticket purchase).

“Not only will families have a wonderful time together, but their hearts and thoughts will be directed toward Jesus and the special gift he gives to us because of his birth, death and resurrection.” — Ken Ham

Ham added: “ChristmasTime and ChristmasTown are our gifts to the community during this special time of year. Not only will families have a wonderful time together, but their hearts and thoughts will be directed toward Jesus and the special gift he gives to us because of his birth, death and resurrection. We encourage everyone to invite their friends to visit our world-renowned attractions during this special time of year.”

More about the events can be found at the Ark and museum websites. A video clip of the beautifully decorated museum grounds is available on the Creation Museum’s YouTube channel.

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 historically themed attraction with a massive Noah’s Ark at the centerpiece. The Creation Museum, located west of the Cincinnati Airport, has welcomed millions of visitors since opening in 2007.

Next year, AiG will open two new attractions. Truth Traveler, a virtual reality attraction, is under construction at both Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Branson, Mo.