Why Was a Creationist Museum Denied Membership to a Museum Council?

Did you know that the world-class Creation Museum (the largest of its kind in the world) isn’t the only creationist museum in America? Scattered across the nation—and even internationally—are dozens of Bible-affirming museums that teach a biblical worldview and uphold the history recorded in God’s Word. Well, one of these museums is the Creation and Earth History Museum of Santee, California (near San Diego). It includes an age of the Earth cave, a Grand Canyon exhibit, a human anatomy exhibit, and even a replica tabernacle. It used to be owned and operated by the Institute for Creation Research.

Well, reportedly the Creation and Earth History Museum applied to the San Diego Museum Council to become members. Members apparently receive benefits such as marketing support, exposure, and training. Well, their application for membership was denied—again. They applied back in 2013 and were told to complete a list of improvements, which they have spent the last two years accomplishing. Those changes were approved, and yet when the committee voted on the museum’s application, it was denied again. The museum president stated, “We didn’t get the majority of votes, which to me confirms the underlying cause which we suspected all along, which is prejudice against creation as an explanation for origins.”

Now, without knowing more information about the entire situation, it would seem that the museum very well could have been declined membership simply because it teaches the Bible’s history of origins. This wouldn’t surprise us at all! Remember the life-size Noah’s Ark attraction we are building has been denied a tourism tax rebate incentive because it will promote an evangelistic message—which is why we are currently involved in court action with the state of Kentucky over the free exercise of religion. Whatever the case may be with the San Diego creationist museum, we often see prejudice against creationists in academic circles simply because we promote a different view of origins than what is commonly believed—and even back it up with solid scientific research. Most evolutionists simply don’t want other views being expressed because they don’t want people being exposed to the truth about origins.

All Museums Promote Ideas!

Now, some evolutionists argue that museums shouldn’t promote ideas. They should just show facts, it is claimed, and that’s why creation museums can’t be “real” museums. But all museums promote ideas. Evolutionary museums certainly do! They promote evolutionary ideas about the past. You see, the facts and evidence don’t speak for themselves. They have to be interpreted, and what you believe about the past determines how you interpret the evidence. As we show in our Creation Museum, the exact same evidence can be examined by a creationist and an evolutionist and two entirely different conclusions reached because we begin with opposing starting points—God’s Word and man’s ideas about the past. However, because secularists have declared evolution as fact, they then claim evolutionist museums don’t present ideas, just facts! Really such museums are defining terms the way they want to impose a religion on the culture—the religion of naturalism (atheism).

Make sure you visit the Creation Museum in the Greater Cincinnati (Northern Kentucky) area soon—it’s a one-day drive from almost two-thirds of the US population. And for those of you who live on the West Coast, we encourage you to visit the Creation and Earth History Museum in the San Diego area.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.