The Creation Museum in Kentucky is a must-see experience, and you need my first-hand tips for planning a trip to the Creation Museum from a real-life mom. The Creation Museum is a Bible-based museum associated with Answers in Genesis based around six-day creation leading to the story of the Fall, Christ, and our world as it is today. It’s a beautiful, state-of-the-art creationist museum full of science and learning opportunities that will challenge and strengthen your beliefs concerning creation, Evolution, geology, the Flood, and even dinosaurs. This is a trip you will continue thinking about for a long time afterward.

Going into our family trip to the Ark and Creation Museums, there was a lot of information I wanted and couldn’t find. This guide will give you all the tips you need to plan a family trip to the Creation Museum and what to expect. If you combining this trip with a visit to the sister creation museum at the Ark, make sure you learn the Ark Encounter basics to help you guide your day. Learn about the hours, the tickets, the food, and so much more. These creation museums are both top-notch and deserve a visit.

Navigate this page:
Top Questions, Tickets, Food, Things to Do, Best Schedule, Take Kids, Museum Beliefs, Creation museum vs Ark, Ark Encounter
Kids Enjoying the Sitting Areas at the Creation Museum
Kids Enjoying the Sitting Areas at the Creation Museum

Creation Museum: Top Questions

Where is the Creation Museum located?

The Creation Museum is located in Petersburg, Kentucky. Located in Northern Kentucky very close to the border with Indiana, this museum is approximately 15 minutes southwest of Cincinnati, Ohio. The closest hotels are about five miles away.

What are the hours for the Creation Museum?

Monday-Friday 10 AM to 6 PM; Saturday 9 AM to 6 PM; Sunday 1 PM to 6 PM
Check online if you are visiting over holiday as they do change during the holidays.

How long to go through the Creation Museum?

Plan for an all day experience to see the Creation Museum. If you have smaller kids and know you won’t make it all the way through, I suggest you come after lunch for fewer crowds. There is a lot to see here including more fabulous presentations and movies than you will have time to see. Expect to leave some parts for your next visit.

What time of day should I arrive at the Creation Museum?

On the day of our visit, the morning hallways were very crowded. It appeared as if most people arrived early when it opened. This made it very difficult to even get through to turn around and head out. Plan to head to a performance or lecture earlier and hope the crowds have spread out when you get out of the theater.

If you don’t like to be in crowds, pick the day and time of your visit well. This museum feels like it has outgrown the crowd in some places with tight hallways and lots of standing people packed together. A visit to the Creation Museum will definitely take longer on a crowded day as much of the information requires up close reading of placards and signs.

How much is parking at the Creation Museum?

$10 parking in their large parking lot easily accessed off the road. There is a portion set aside for oversized vehicles and RVs. There is about a ten minute walk into the creation museum through the garden once you buy tickets at the entrance next to the parking lot.

Holiday Lights at the Creation Museum in the Gardens

How much walking will I do at the Creation Museum?

The Creation Museum is a much smaller museum campus that that at its sister site with the Ark Encounter, but there is still a lot of walking and standing. You will walk from the parking lot to the front doors of the Creation Museum through their gardens with different areas to wander through including themed areas like the woodlands and rainforest as well as a small zoo. You can also opt to take a more direct path to the front door on a smooth concrete path.

Once inside the museum, there are different options. The exhibit rooms flow from one to the next. If you choose to leave halfway through, you may have to reroute your path which will add lots of extra walking. The flow of traffic is mostly one direction.

Can I visit the Creation Museum if I have difficulty with mobility?

If you have mobility difficulties, there are some benches scattered if you need to rest. If you can’t walk far or have difficulty standing for periods reading or waiting in line, you might need to consider how you will handle this. Wheelchairs, both manual and electric, are available for rental through the Creation Museum.

Additionally, quite a bit of your time at the Creation Museum will be spend sitting in a cushioned theater for one of the many shows or speakers. There will be time standing in line in the hall to get into the theater, but if needed, Grandma could always go find a resting area and meet up at the front door.

What Are the Creation Museum Beliefs?

  • This is a fully Christian-based experience with the museum strictly based on a six-day creation plan.
  • The creators of this museum, Answers in Genesis, is a Christian company with the goal to preach Christ. Part of the exhibits are “preachy” and may not line up with your religious beliefs.
  • Even coming from my Christian background, I learned about what other Christians believe about Creation. There are so many interpretations of God’s creation design, that there’s someone here for every level of their faith journey. You probably won’t agree 100% with what is said, but that allows for family conversation and further study on your own.
  • Even if your creation beliefs don’t align perfectly with this museum, there still is so much for you to take in – just attend with an open mind. Not to mention, seeing what others believe will only stand to strengthen your own beliefs as your see other viewpoints.
Learning About the Accuracy of the Bible through Historical Analysis at the Creation Museum
Learning About the Accuracy of the Bible through Historical Analysis at the Creation Museum

How Much Does a Ticket to the Creation Museum Cost?

General Admission Ticket

Consider purchasing your Ark Encounter and Creation Museum tickets ahead of time to save some money. They are valid for one year from purchase, so if difficulties arise, you haven’t lost the value of your ticket. 2023 is a great time to come because all kids are still free for all of 2023 without a limit to the number of children.

While you can purchase tickets online and show them digitally, the line for buying tickets was actually shorter the day we were there. This might save time on a very busy day. These tickets don’t include the cost of parking.

General admission 2023 ticket prices online to the Creation Museum are

  • Adults $49.95
  • Youth (11-17) $29.95
  • kids under 10 free

How can I save money on Creation Museum tickets?

With combo tickets for the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum, you will be allowed one admission to each location within a week. As an adult ticket to the Ark is $59.95, you will save $15 with the combo ticket if are are planning to go to both places anyway. Additionally, you save another $15 with each additional youth ticket.

  • Adults $94.95
  • Youth (11-17) $54.95
  • kids under 10 free

Additionally there are 3 day bouncer tickets which let you have unlimited visits to both attractions within one week. For only $15 more (which ends up costing the same as full price for each ticket), you can return unlimited times to each within a week. Honestly, if I had small children and other things to do in the area, this is what I would choose…. if you plan on fully seeing each place. Their attention will wane. I didn’t get to read about the last 1/3 of the Creation Museum because my two littler kids were done. If you have two parents and more than three youth, check out the Ultimate Bouncer Family Pass!

Check online for discount days at the Creation Museum including special prices for residents and military. Sometimes there are homeschool days with much reduced ticket prices.

What is Included in the Creation Museum Ticket?

  • Creation Museum – Two floors including the Walk through Biblical History, Insectorium, Dino Den
  • 4D Special Effects Theater movies
  • Animal Experience
  • Special speakers on various topics – don’t miss Corrie Ten Boom!
  • Botanical garden and outside playground

What’s Not Included in the Ticket?

Prepare yourself. There are plenty of extra opportunities to spend extra money. Although is non-profit, the merchandise and books and extra spending opportunities abound. While the prices for food and extras aren’t as high as Disney World, extra events and spending opportunities will be advertised everywhere.

Additional experiences include the planetarium, outdoor zip lines, snacks, meals, fudge shop, coffee shop, ice cream… The bookshop conveniently located right at the end of the museum, so you have to pass through it to exit. Additionally, before you enter the museum, you go through a market of fair-trade products. This is not the museum bookshop, but another opportunity to spend even more money.

Two kids at the exhibits learning about creation of the Ark at the Creation Museum
Two kids at the exhibits learning about creation of the Ark at the Creation Museum

What Can I Eat at the Creation Museum?

Food purchased in the museum is allowed throughout as you walk around. There is a coffee and drink bar as well as an ice cream station. Full meals are available in the restaurant inside the museum, and the food seemed to be reasonably priced. If you are willing to take ten minutes to go back out to your car, it would be very easy to meet the rest of your group in the garden to have a picnic. Additionally, with your wristband, you can get back in the museum if you want to take a break and drive somewhere for lunch.

If you have member of your group with food allergies, the museum kitchens state that they try to avoid cross-contamination and be accommodating. However, they do admit that an exposure to an allergen is possible including shellfish and peanuts. Severe allergies are suggested to bring outside food.

While the museum site states no outside food, our bags were not checked, and you could easily bring in a granola bar for a mid-afternoon snack to tide over a kid; I saw some doing this. We took in refillable water bottles in our bags without difficulty.

Jesus' World Exhibit at Creation Museum Reading about the Jewish Temple
Jesus’ World Exhibit at Creation Museum Reading about the Jewish Temple

Things to Do at the Creation Museum

There are more things to do at the Creation Museum than you will have time to see. Use the exhibit descriptions below to help you guide the interests of the members of your group. The creation museum feels like multiple separately-themed museums; they are all connected as you go from one to another. Each section has a different appearance and theme – all beautifully set up. Check out the Roman decorations. They really are exquisit with high tech videos and screens mixed in.

From human evolution to the authenticity of the Bible, you will be bombarded with so much information. If you aren’t interested in one section, just keep moving on. One of them will interest you. Don’t worry about taking pictures of all the signs to read later – grab the book in the bookstore that has all the signs. You will want to go back and reread and discuss and discuss some more.

The Garden of Eden (Main floor)

This animatronic, life-sized colorful garden area tells the story of life in the Garden leading up to the Fall. Walk through with your kids and admire the details put into the setting and examine early life as imagined with Adam and Eve and their growing family. This is great for animals lovers and little kids who need something to look at – and are tired of placards.

The Theater (Main Floor)

While the schedule for this changes daily, you can familiarize yourself with the main video showings online to figure out which ones your want to prioritize. The 4D videos include 3D glasses, sounds, wind, vibrating chairs, and lights. Great for little kids!
This is also the location of the guest speakers depending on theater availability. Compare the daily schedules online as this may help you pick what day to visit with different presentations. We went to several, and they were all excellent.

Don’t overlook the back hall where you line up to go into the theater. There are great exhibits here to read while you wait including seeing rock collection and extra videos to watch.

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made (Main Floor)

Hidden within the bookstore, this section highlights the beauty of the developing baby. I assume it’s in it’s own enclosed section for sensitive eyes and kids who aren’t ready for such. There are model scales of all stages of the developing child which would be amazing for your teenagers to see.

Botanical Garden (Outside)

During you walk to the museum, you will experience five minutes of the garden, but make sure you leave about an hour to explore the other areas. During the winter after Thanksgiving, this area is lit up to beome a winter wonderland. The rest of the year it boasts woodlands, rainforest area, a koi pond, and other beautifully planted areas. The ids will love walking across the bridges and exporing what is around the next corner.

Learning Earth Formation and Geology through Rocks at the Creation Museum
Learning Earth Formation and Geology through Rocks at the Creation Museum

Animal Encounter and Shows (Outside, Bottom floor)

Meet some animals up-close at the Legacy Hall on the bottom level of the Creation Museum – down the stairs from the 4D theater. These are held in a smaller size room, so line up early to get a seat. Additionally, stop at the animal zoo in the botanical garden to see the rest of the animals.

Dinosaurs (Bottom floor)

You could miss this small section if you don’t head downstairs. It’s a little offshoot, and holds more dinosaurs than you will see during the visit. It’s definitely worth the visit – don’t overlook the fossilized dinosaur eggs and the fossil for touching. There are other dinosaurs and skeletons scatered throughout the rest of the museum, but this is a dedicated section.

Dr. Crawley’s Insectorium (Bottom floor)

To show the variety of God’s beautiful insect designs, this small section of insect collections has hundreds of specimens arranged according to their kind. I’ve never seen a more thorough display in all the zoos we have visited. Allow about 15 minutes and prepare to ooh and aah at the sizes and colors of these insects and bugs from around the world. This is on the lower level past the 4D theater entrance. It’s a small opening, but you don’t want to miss it.

Biblical History (Bottom floor)

Honestly, this was my favorite section learning about the Romans and the culture at the time of Jesus. This is a small section, but the timeline leading up to Jesus and his world is worth a study just in itself. Students of classical and Biblical history, both kids and adults, need to plan for an hour in this overlooked section. Of note, this section is not in the book you can purchase with the placards of the rest of the museum.

  • See coins from Jesus’ time.
  • See the models of the Temple at Jerusalem.
  • Learn about the time of the Maccabean Revolt and the origins of Hanukkah.
  • Show the kids the dress of the soldier, tradesmen, and families of the first century.
Examining beetle speciments at the Insectorium at the Creation Museum
Examining beetle speciments at the Insectorium at the Creation Museum

What’s the Best Schedule to See the Creation Museum?

  • Check the schedule online to have an overview of scheduled videos, speakers, and events – mark these and plan around these. Plan to be at the theater at least 15 minutes ahead of time; earlier if you want to go to an animal experience as it will be a smaller room.
  • Get to the parking lot at after a big sit down breakfast to minimize time spent eating.
  • If not heading right into the theater and the museum still feels pretty empty, go ahead with the exhibit straight ahead; take advantage of the low crowd.
  • If museum feels crowded, go downstairs to see the insects, dinosaurs, and ancient history section. This was much less crowded and feels like a hidden section.
  • If the parking lot is already full, take time to wander through the garden and zoo. There’s no rush to get inside.
  • When the kids get wiggly after some exhibits, grab some ice cream or see a 4D movie – they’ll love both it will wake them up.
  • Leave when your brain is done. You don’t have to do the WHOLE museum. It’s really okay. Go eat a fun supper somewhere.
Watching Video at Creation Museum
Watching Video at Creation Museum

How Do I Take Kids to the Creation Museum?

  • Be reasonable! You won’t be able to read everything. Your kids will give out. Go when they’re done. You’re just making everyone (including yourself) miserable. Been there; done that.
  • Come to the Creation Museum before the Ark. While much of the information is repeated in both, there is a lot of new information. I feel our Ark Encounter was faster because we had already familiarized ourselves with their theories and information.
  • If visiting in the winter after Thanksgiving, the hours are extended in the evening allowing more time to explore the videos and bookstore. The holiday lights are the focus as the garden is lit up and offers a live nativity, activities, and extra snacks.
  • Don’t endure the crowd; go to another section and wait for the crowd to spread out.
  • Make the videos and lectures a priority of your time. While the videos are offered several times a day, the lectures are not. Don’t miss these. The ones we saw were excellent.
  • Feel free to leave the exhibits to go check out a video and go back. You will have to do quite a bit of backtracking, but I don’t know of another way to do it if you want to see everything.
  • This museum has a lot of reading with very few interactive displays. While there are artifacts, specimens, and dioramas, I suggest you leave this museum for the bigger kids if you only have nonreaders or younger.
Learning about Dinosaur Kinds at the Creation Museum
Learning about Dinosaur Kinds at the Creation Museum

Homeschool at the Creation Museum

  • Look at the entrance for detailed, full-colored workbook for kids to complete during their visit based on their age. These are only $2; it is also available online to print ahead of time if you want. Honestly, we were so overwhelmed by the information that reading extra and filling out worksheets was undoable. I do plan on working through them at home using the book of signs that we got at the bookstore. This is also available to download through the website if you want to prepare ahead of time.
  • This is an excellent educational experience for Bible, science, and history. Terms like evolution, natural selection, and Darwinian are everywhere and will challenge or strengthen your beliefs. Biblical and ancient history are juxtaposed allowing for a review of both with archeological findings. Prepare to have plenty to discuss at home!
  • Don’t worry about taking pictures of all the signs you want to remember for your studies. At the gift shop, you can purchase a book of most of the signage.
  • The bookstore. You’ve been warned. The bookstore here and at the Ark have much of the same books, so feel free to go home and think about your purchases. They are also available through the website if you change your mind later.
  • Check online for homeschool days at the Creation Museum. Explore days are for ages 11-18, and younger kids can enjoy Explore Jr. for 5-10 year old. We haven’t done these, and I don’t know anyone who has. Let me know if you have!
Learning about the Garden of Eden at the Creation Museum
Learning about the Garden of Eden at the Creation Museum

Should I See the Creation Museum or Ark Encounter?

Both the Creation Museum and The Ark are amazing. While they do have a lot of the same information scattered throughout, they’re very distinct experiences. If you have little kids and can only visit one of these sights, I would highly recommend just heading to the Ark. In addition to the grandeur and size of the Ark, the inside has more visual exhibits with dioramas and animals and storage examples. After the Ark, there’s the zoo and the playground. Not to mention, a lot of it is outside to allow for more room for running and getting out energy.

As an adult, I would say they both should be seen. However, I think the size of the Ark definitely contributed to my faith journey more than the Creation Museum. Both museums have different speaker and theater opportunities that I would have hated to have missed.

Can I See the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum on the Same Day?

Most families who head to Kentucky to see the Ark Encounter, also plan to check out the affiliated Ark Encounter during the same visit. If you are very pressed for time, you could feasibly see both in one day with a forty-five minute drive south. However, you would miss out on a lot of both experiences because they each could last out more than one day if you want to be very thorough.

Is the Ark Encounter worth seeing? Absolutely. While some of the information is repeated, they also work together beautifully. I do suggest you do the Creation Museum first as it helps explain some of the Ark exhibits better. The Ark Encounter is fabulous and the sheer size of the boat will amaze you. Learn the Ark Encounter Basics to help you guide your day. These creation museums are both top-notch and deserve a visit.

What is Near the Creation Museum?

Staying in nearby Cincinnati would provide the opportunity to explore this city and visit the Cincinatti Zoo‘s most famous resident, Fiona the Hippo. I wish we had time to see the museum or the National Underground Railroard Museum. I’m saving that for our next trip.


Traveling the Everglades with the Kids
Bobbie // RECLAIMING WONDERS

Reclaiming Wonders // Bobbie

With years of planning family road trips, Bobbie is an expert at incorporating amazing activities into her family travel plan which she shares on the blog, on Instagram, and through content creation for destinations and products. As a homeschool mom of four kids in Georgia, she strives to create a learning life full of adventures around the dinner table or throughout the United States. Learn Bobbie’s story to be encouraged to leave the busy life and reclaim the wonders of life.

Traveling the Everglades with the Kids
Bobbie // RECLAIMING WONDERS

Reclaiming Wonders // Bobbie

With years of planning family road trips, Bobbie is an expert at incorporating amazing activities into her family travel plan which she shares on the blog, on Instagram, and through content creation for destinations and products. As a homeschool mom of four kids in Georgia, she strives to create a learning life full of adventures around the dinner table or throughout the United States. Learn Bobbie’s story to be encouraged to leave the busy life and reclaim the wonders of life.


Traveling the Everglades with the Kids
Bobbie // RECLAIMING WONDERS

Reclaiming Wonders // Bobbie

With years of planning family road trips, Bobbie is an expert at incorporating amazing activities into her family travel plan which she shares on the blog, on Instagram, and through content creation for destinations and products. As a homeschool mom of four kids in Georgia, she strives to create a learning life full of adventures around the dinner table or throughout the United States. Learn Bobbie’s story to be encouraged to leave the busy life and reclaim the wonders of life.

3 thoughts on “Creation Museum: Everything You Need to Know [2023]

  1. I enjoyed reading your take on the Creation Museum. Several of my family members work there and I’ve been dozens of times. Hearing a guest’s perspective is always interesting. I’d encourage anyone to check the website for museum times as they do change throughout the year and are sometimes abbreviated for special events. Also, as lovely as a picnic in the gardens sounds, you will likely be turned down at the gate as no outside food is the stated policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *