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 a literal six-day creation view leading to the story of the Fall, Christ, and our world as it is today.
Kentucky’s Creation Museum is a beautiful, state-of-the-art museum with exhibits covering Bible history, creation science, Evolution, geology, the Flood, and even dinosaurs. With additional experiences including a planetarium, botanical gardens, and animal encounters, this is a trip your whole family will continue talking about for a long time.
Going into our family trip to the Ark and Creation Museums, there was a lot of information I wanted and couldn’t find. This Creation Museum guide will give you all the tips you need to plan a family trip to the Creation Museum, including current ticket information, hours, and the best parts of the creation museum.
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. These creation museums are both top-notch and deserve a visit.
Update: Although originally published after our visit in 2021, the prices, exhibits, and other details have been updated to 2026 information.
Creation Museum Quick Jumps
Creation Museum Basic Information
Things to Do at the Creation Museum
How to Get Around the Creation Museum
What Are the Creation Museum Beliefs?
How Much Does a Ticket to the Creation Museum Cost?
How to Spend a Day at the Creation Museum?
Should I Take my Kids to the Creation Museum?
Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum
Where Do I Stay During a Creation Museum Trip?
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Creation Museum Basic Information
Where is the Creation Museum located?
The Creation Museum is located in Petersburg, Kentucky. about seven miles west of the Cincinnat/ Northern Kentucky International Airport. Located in Northern Kentucky, close to the borders with Indiana and Ohio, this museum is an easy addition to a Cincinnati or Kentucky road trip. The closest hotels are about five miles away in small towns. Bear the location in mind for hotel and read “Where Do I Stay During a Creation Museum Trip?”.
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
The Creation Museum also has seasonal events. If visiting after Thanksgiving, the hours are extended in the evening for Christmas programming and special evening events. The holiday lights are the focus as the garden is lit up and offers a live nativity, activities, and extra snacks. Check the online schedule.
How long do you need at the Creation Museum?
Plan for an all day experience to see the Creation Museum, and don’t try to rush through. There is a lot to experience here including more fabulous presentations and movies than you will have time to see.
If you have smaller kids and know they won’t last a full day, I suggest you come after lunch for fewer crowds. You could also go out to the car for a picnic, get some wiggles out, and go back inside. I would rather see you have a good experience and leave something for another visit than push everyone until they are miserable.
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, maing it very difficult to move through some areas. As the daily programs vary by date, check this schedule first and plan around the experiences you most want to see.
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 space in some places with tight hallways. A visit to the Creation Museum will take longer in crowds as much of the information requires stopping to read the signs or watch videos.
~~~~> Don’t consider the Creation Museum without considering adding the Ark Encounter to your family trip to Kentucky. Head to “Ark Encounter: Everything You Need to Plan a Trip” for ALL the details.
How to Get Around the Creation Museum
How much is parking at the Creation Museum?
Creation Museum parking is currently $15 for standard and $20 for oversized vehicles. The large parking lot easily accessed off the road with 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. However, as the grounds themselves are part of the experience, enjoy the botanical gardens on your way in.
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. Inside the museum, the traffic moves through a series of exhibits rather than simply walking through one large open gallery. 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.
If you want to explore the gardens, zoo, and other outdoor areas, plan for even more time on your feet. There is a one-mile long paved nature trail through the gardens, but more direct routes outside are available if desired.
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?
The Creation Museum is a Christian, young-earth creationist museum operated by Answers in Genesis. Its exhibits present a six-day creation view and interpret biblical history, science, geology, dinosaurs, and the Flood from that perspective. 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. Whatever your creation beliefs, there’s something here for every level of their faith journey. Even if you do not agree 100% the museum, there is so much information here that families will have plenty to discuss 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. 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.
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 several additional paid opportunities inside. Merchandise and extra spending opportunities abound. Additional experiences include the planetarium, outdoor zip lines, snacks, meals, fudge shop, coffee shop, ice cream… It is non-profit, but…
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. If you are homeschooling or studying biblical history, science, or creation, give yourself some time in the bookstore because there are a lot of educational resources available.
How do I Spend a Day at the Creation Museum?
Check the schedule online before you arrive so you know what presentations, videos, animal encounters, and other programs are happening that day. I would choose a few things that are must-sees and build the rest of the day around them rather than trying to do absolutely everything.
If the museum is crowded, change your plan rather than fighting the crowd. 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 the main museum exhibits feel crowded, head downstairs to see the insects, dinosaurs, and ancient history section. These smaller sections are easier places to slow to read everything and feels like a hidden section.
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 and save something new for the next visit.
What Can I Eat at the Creation Museum?
There are several places to eat at the Creation Museum, including Sprig & Stone Casual Dining, Noah’s Coffee & Ice Cream, Palm Café, Tree of Life Café, and Uncle Leroy’s Candy Kitchen. Food purchased in the museum is allowed throughout as you walk around. Full meals are available and was 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 states that they try to avoid cross-contamination. However, they do admit that an exposure to an allergen is possible including shellfish and peanuts. Information for guests who require outside food because of severe allergies is available if needed.
Get there after a good breakfast so you are not immediately trying to feed everyone. Do not plan on bringing a picnic into the museum and outside food and beverages are not allowed. As our bags were not checked at the time of our visit, it’s possible you could 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.
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 4D 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.
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 and the World of Jesus (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.
Do I Take Kids to the Creation Museum?
Should I take my kids to the Creation Museum? Honestly, it depends on your kids, their ages, and your expectations. This is not an attraction where every room is designed around hands-on activities for little kids.
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. Older elementary kids, middle schoolers, and teenagers may get much more out of the historical and educational content.
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.
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, and I still think about the Corrie ten Boom interpreter everytime we read The Hiding Place. She was so good.
Education at the Creation Museum
The Creation Museum is an excellent educational experience for Bible, science, and history. Terms like evolution, natural selection, and Darwin 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 whether you homeschool or not.
Creation Museum Guidebooks
The Creation Museum offers detailed, full-colored guidebooks for kids to complete during their visit if you want a structured field trip. These are about $5; it is also available online to download and print ahead of time if you want.
Honestly, we were so overwhelmed by all the information at the Creation Museum that completing worksheets not realistic. Not to mention, it would have taken a lot more time. Sometimes the better homeschool assignment is reading what you can and having lots of talks about it at home.
Creation Museum Bookstore
The bookstore. You’ve been warned. If you are studying creation, biblical history, science, or apologetics, you could easily spend a lot of time looking through the books and educational resources. Both the Ark and Creation bookstores have many of the same books, so feel free wait and consider your purchases. They are also available through the website if you change your mind later.
Top Tip: Don’t try to take pictures of all the signs for later – you won’t look at them! At the gift shop, you can purchase a Creation Museum Signs book. You won’t get to read all the information; you’ll be glad you purchased this for a reference book.
Homeschooling at the Creation Museum
Let’s have a talk from homeschool mom to homeschool mom. A visit to the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter are on your learning plan for the year. You want to get all the books and prepare your kids and find the workbooks and all that.
Read. Look. Listen. and Discuss. You do not have to turn this into a worksheet marathon to be educational. Trust me.
Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum
Before considering seeing both of these top Kentucky sights in one day, you need to look at a map. Even though the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum are connected, they are separate attractions. It will take you at least forty-five minutes to drive from one to the other. Do not try to do both in one day.
I suggest visiting the Creation Museum before the Ark. While there is some repeated information, I feel our Ark Encounter was smoother because we had already familiarized ourselves with the information at the Creation Museum.
Should I See the Creation Museum or Ark Encounter?
Both the Creation Museum and The Ark are amazing, but they’re very different 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 see both. For me, the sheer size of the Ark impacted my faith journey more than the Creation Museum. However, both museums have different speaker and educational opportunities that I would have hated to have missed. Give each attraction it’s own day if possible.
~~~~> Don’t consider the Creation Museum without considering adding the Ark Encounter to your family trip to Kentucky. Head to “Ark Encounter: Everything You Need to Plan a Trip {2023}” for ALL the details.
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 visit the Ark Encounter as well. If you are very pressed for time, you could feasibly see both in one day with a forty-five minute drive south. But you will miss a lot.
Is the Ark Encounter worth seeing if I’ve already been to the Creation Museum? Absolutely. Although some of the information is repeated, the Ark Encounter sheer size of the boat will amaze you. Learn the Ark Encounter Basics to help you guide your day. These museums are both top-notch and deserve a visit.
Where Do I Stay During a Creation Museum Trip?
The Creation Museum is located twenty-five minutes west of Cincinnati, Ohio at the Indiana-Ohio border. Staying around Florence, Hebron, Erlanger, or Cincinnati gives you more hotel choices, while staying farther south can make sense if you are also visiting the Ark Encounter. Where you stay depends on what else you want to do.
Surrounded by small towns, plan to drive half an hour to the Creation Museum unless you can find a small-town rental home. If you’re going to also see the Creation Museum (as you should!), it’s a forty-five minute drive further south.
During our Kentucky road trip to see the Ark and Creation Museum, we chose to stay about thirty minutes south of the Ark in Georgetown, Kentucky – just north of Lexington – as we were driving up from Georgia in the south.
Home2 Suites by Hilton is my go-to hotel because there will be a bed for all six, a kitchenette (even compete with a dishwasher and full-sized fridge), and a great breakfast in the morning. We have stayed in probably about ten different Home2 Suites over the last several years, we know what to expect, and they have everything we need to eat at the hotel (and do laundry!). That kind of setup is still exactly what I look for when traveling with a large family.
~~~~> Check out Home2 Suites in Georgetown, Kentucky, and let’s start planning your next road trip.
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 National Underground Railroard Museum. I’m saving that for our next trip.
My Creation Museum Review
The Creation Museum was one of those places where I left with a lot to think about. It is not simply a museum where you walk through, look at a few displays, and leave. There is a lot of information packed into this place, and much of it is designed to make you stop and think about what you believe.
I especially enjoyed the Biblical history section and the presentations. With so many different subjects represented in one place, everyone can find something they really enjoyed. For a homeschool family, I think there is real value in using the museum as the beginning of a conversation rather than trying to absorb every single exhibit in one visit.
I would definitely return, especially as the kids get older kids. I feel that there’s so much information, you could return multiple times and learn new stuff each visit. If you are planning a Kentucky family road trip, the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter are worth putting on your list.
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