PETERSBURG, Ky., May 21, 2009 – As the highly acclaimed Creation Museum of Answers in Genesis turns the corner on its second year, it expects to see the 720,000th visitor cross the threshold any day now, a testament to the museum’s continued ability to attract guests and attention for its more than 70,000 square feet (and growing) of hi-tech, top-quality exhibits.

“We’ve been very pleased with museum attendance during our second year, knowing that the economy would impact tourism,” said Mark Looy, co-founder.and ministry spokesman. “We were only down about 20 percent compared to our first year, and such a small decrease is usually expected after the initial opening of any new attraction. So the economy didn’t affect us as negatively as might have been expected.”

The museum continues to expand, with several new exhibits and events planned for the coming year, including an “ape-man” exhibit to bring attention to the fallacies of Darwinian evolution. This follows on the heels of the recently-opened “Natural Selection is not Evolution” exhibit, planned to coincide with “Year of Darwin” celebrations in this the 200th anniversary of his birth.

Special upcoming events include the first-ever live video Webcast with ministry and museum founder and president Ken Ham on June 25. This “state of the nation and Christian church” presentation, broadcast from Ham’s perspective, is to reveal the results of an astounding new survey regarding the impact of evolutionary thought on the church today, as discussed in his recent book, “Already Gone,” co-authored by respected researcher Britt Beemer of America’s Research Group.

More and larger tour groups are expected through the museum this summer, coinciding with several fun and educational activities for guests of all ages. Special events include Stargazers’ Nights, a Sportsmen’s Dinner, a blood drive, special presentations by renowned creation speaker (and former evolutionist/atheist) Dr. Gary Parker, and workshops exploring the mysterious world of carnivorous plants.

The museum is participating in several off-site events, as well, including hosting Creation College 3 from July 20-24, featuring biblical apologetics teaching by some of the world’s best speakers on creation and biblical authority. The ministry will have a larger presence at the annual National Education Association Convention in San Diego in early July, supplying 1,000 free copies of “The Charles Darwin Bible,” using the Scriptures to refute the claims of evolution, during this “Year of Darwin.”

In August, the museum will once again partner with the local professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds, for “Faith Day” at the ballpark. Several other events and special promotions are planned for the fall, culminating with the museum’s annual Christmas focus, which promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Right after Christmas and New Year’s, the Creation Museum will open the first exhibits of a “Knee High Museum” — with fascinating displays and interactive activities for young people that will be placed throughout the existing museum.

In addition to Ken Ham’s newest book, museum staff scientist and researcher Dr. Jason Lisle will soon release “The Ultimate Proof of Creation,” an engaging guide to defending the Christian faith, emphasizing the Genesis account of creation. A new “Walk through the Creation Museum” DVD allows visitors to bring the experience home with them as never before.

“We enter our third year excited about the growing opportunities the museum provides for reaching people with the creation gospel message,” Ham said. “We believe God is using us to make a difference in our post-Christian culture, and we will continue to do everything we can to help believers defend the Word of God, from the very first verse.”

The Creation Museum, which opened to the public on May 28, 2007, is located near the Cincinnati Airport, within a day’s drive or a short flight for almost two-thirds of the country. It has seen visitors from every state and several dozen other countries (a new country, Sri Lanka, was added today). More than 404,000 guests toured the museum in the first year, way above anticipated crowds of 250,000. Over 310,000 visited the second year, and the museum expects to sustain this visitor level as it continues to expand and offer new activities for guests.

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