Ark Encounter Unveils New $3M Virtual Reality Tour That Takes Visitors Back in Time
Nothing brings history alive like seeing it play out before you. Reading about ancient civilizations is one thing, but being able to see actual life-size replicas of cities and items really helps you imagine what it might have been like to live in a different time and place.
Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, has been hailed an excellent exhibit — with over a million visitors a year since opening in 2016 — and the attraction even earned the number one spot on USA Today’s top ten “Best Religious Museums” list earlier this year.
“We are so grateful to USA Today for considering our internationally recognized attractions in its contest,” Ark Encounter CEO and founder Ken Ham told CBN News at the time.
“Indeed, people from around the world rave about the exhibits and features at the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum, and now these people have validated our exciting attractions from among an impressive list of museums. We’re very thankful to the thousands of people who went online to vote,” said Ham, who also leads Ark Encounter’s parent organization, Answers in Genesis.
“Our full-size Noah’s ark, built according to the dimensions given in the Bible, spans 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high,” Ark Encounter’s Facebook “About” page reads. “This modern engineering marvel amazes visitors young and old.”
But now there’s a new exhibit that is offering viewers an entirely new experience: a glimpse into the Bible event including sights, sounds and even smells.
Don glasses and strap into a modified chair lift, and you’ll be given a walkthrough (or flyover) of the story of Noah’s Ark, feeling as though you’re really there.
“I’m excited about this fantastic high-tech VR addition,” Ham told CBN News late last month. “As people have come to expect at the Ark Encounter, the bar of excellence is set extremely high, as it is again with this experience.”
“This 4K VR experience is like no other,” he continued. “While its quality of production and immersive feel are what you would expect from Walt Disney World or Universal Studios, the message is different. ‘A Flood of Reality’ presents Noah’s Ark and the Flood as factual history and reinforces the truth of the Bible.”
The “Truth Traveler,” as the experience has been dubbed, cost around $3 million to build, and requires an additional entry fee.
COVID-19 has affected Ark Encounter just as it has many other businesses, but they were able to reopen in June.
“Since we reopened our attractions on June 8, I have been greatly encouraged to see so many families, including children, visiting us once again,” Ham said. “Having been shut down for nearly three months, and with all that’s happened across the nation, we weren’t sure what to expect for the first several weeks.
“But we have been pleasantly surprised by the strong attendance, as have local hotels, B&Bs, and restaurants. Our attractions continue to have a significant economic impact on the region, as recognized this month by receiving the Community Award from the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.”
Hopefully with the opening of “Truth Traveler,” more attendees will flock to the Ark Encounter and make up for the months of emptiness.
The virtual reality experience is open now and will, as its website states, “truly help guests understand the reality of the Ark and the flood.”
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