Dino Lights and Humble Sights!

Welcome back, Dinosaur Explorers, and Merry Christmas! This month we’re at the Creation Museum to take a look at the Garden of Lights and all of the light-up dinosaurs found there!

First up, when you arrive at the Creation Museum, you will be greeted by the sight of our brand-new Welcome Center, sporting two Stegosauruses. Your adventure awaits on the other side!

Welcome Center Stegosauruses

After you pass through the Welcome Center, immediately to your left will be one of the 10 cast-iron dinosaur statues created by paleoartist Buddy Davis. The best part is . . . they light up! This first dinosaur is a juvenile, or young, Apatosaurus. When fully grown, this sauropod reached lengths of over 70 feet! A similar sauropod can be seen from the highway as you drive by the Creation Museum.

Continuing along this path, you’ll pass through the bog. Across the bog and to the right, you’ll find a juvenile Stegosaurus! A little further down the path and across a bridge, you’ll find an adult Styracosaurus. This dinosaur is believed to have been in the same biblical kind as the famous Triceratops.

In the Grand Plaza, just outside the museum itself, you’ll meet “Salty” the Saltasaurus enjoying the Christmas tree! The Saltasaurus, which means “lizard from Salta,” was a rather small sauropod dinosaur—only reaching lengths of about 40 feet.

"Salty" the Saltasaurus and the Grand Plaza Christmas Tree

Behind the plaza’s restrooms and along the lake, you’ll find a model of the prosauropod Plateosaurus. These animals were similar in many ways to the sauropods but were much smaller.

Kyle and "Plato" the Plateosaurus

Our next dinosaurs are found in the valley surrounding the Eden Zoo, which at the time I’m writing this, is under construction for an exciting new expansion! In this “Dino Valley” you’ll find a life-size Parasaurolophus, a young adult Spinosaurus, an adult Triceratops, and Buddy’s newest dinosaur, an Ankylosaurus, the most famous of the club-tailed dinosaurs!

Finally, in the rainforest garden, you’ll find the last two light-up dinosaurs, a young adult T. rex and a juvenile Allosaurus.

So why are these lights so significant? Well, first of all they’re really cool! However, they are much more than that. They also perform an important function: they produce light. Simple right? These light-producing dinosaurs, and all of the other lights at the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter serve as a reminder of the true Light of the world, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. John 8:12 reads: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

You see Christmas isn’t about parties, sweets, or presents. It isn’t about snowmen, reindeer, or snow (though these things can be fun!). Christmas is about Christ! And although we don’t know the exact day of the year that Jesus was born, we use December 25 as a day to celebrate his birth. Jesus came down to earth and was born and laid in a manger about 2,000 years ago. He later died on the cross for our sins and rose from the grave three days later, conquering death. If you put your faith and trust in Jesus, you WILL be saved. And that is the greatest gift of all!

Ask your parents to read you the full account of Jesus’ birth from the Bible, found in Luke 2.

Live nativity at the Creation Museum

And join us for ChristmasTown at the Creation Museum and see our live nativity scene and our Christmas Discover Program, “Christmas Truths for Families” (select dates only). Watch our Christmas planetarium show, The Christmas Star, and enjoy the light-up dinosaurs as well! And don’t forget to visit ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter, our sister attraction.

Come back next time to hear more about my adventures in the world of dinosaurs!