Creation Museum

Overview

The Creation Museum is a museum-like public attraction promoting creationism.

Museum?

It is questionable whether the term "museum" is applicable here. Some definitions of "museum" are:

Merriam-Webster:

an institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting interest or value; also : a place where objects are exhibited

This is the only definition found so far within which the Creation Museum fits, and then only the secondary definition as "a place where objects are exhibited".

Some other definitions:

The International Council of Museums:

a permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education, enjoyment, the tangible and intangible evidence of people and their environment

The Museums Association 1998 definition, from Wikipedia:

Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society.

An earlier Museums Association definition, ibid.:

A museum is an institution which collects, documents, preserves, exhibits and interprets material evidence and associated information for the public benefit.

In all three definitions, there is mention of either "evidence" or "artifacts and specimens". The exhibits at the "Creation Museum", however, appear to be almost entirely re-creations, made specifically for Creation Museum exhibits. An extensive review from one visitor notes that "everything is carefully handcrafted", with the exception of a few live animals in the lobby. The museum's own web site makes no mention of any collections, nor does it explain how the statements of fact exhibited within the Museum are supported by evidence.

This sentence from the review just about says it all: "God’s Word is placed first and human reason is last." Their only evidence is The Bible, and that's all they need – because, according to them, the Bible says that's all anyone should need.

Links

Reference

Wikipedia
Conservapedia points out that there are many other museums and public attractions promoting creationism
Creation Museum: "The Creation Museum presents a unique and unparalleled experience, a walk through time portraying significant, life-altering events of the past, illuminating the effects of biblical history on our present and future world."
- a project of Answers in Genesis: "Upholding the Authority of the Bible from the Very First Verse"
  - Creation scientists and other biographies of interest: "Some modern scientists who have accepted the biblical account of creation" (long list); "...because the idea that the earth is 'millions of years' old has been disastrous in the long run, no present day 'long-agers' are included intentionally, because we submit that they should know better."

Images

2007-06-09 Behold the Creation Museum: "I've documented the entire thing right here, with the exception of a few videos."

Quotes

from the Museum

from the Treasures of the Earth exhibit:

"The invisible things of God ... are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." (Romans 1:20)

God created the world to show us His nature. Minerals are just one example. Their great beauty and order show the glory and wisdom of God.

Ever since the creation, God has been holding the universe together "by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:3). Therefore, the universe operates according to rules that reflect God and His nature. Mineral crystals, which have been growing in the 6,000 years since the creation, show not only beauty but also consistent growth patterns and diverse shapes. These characteristics of minerals are just a glimpse of the glory of the unchanging, triune Sustainer of all things."

from the Design and the Curse exhibit:

Some animals seem to be specially designed to eat other animals (carnivory). We do not know exactly how meat-eating started, nor how long it took to begin, but we do know two things:

All animals were plant eaters before Adam's sin. God said, "To every beast of the earth I have given every green herb for food" (Genesis 1:30).
Everything in creation, including the plants and animals, was created "very good". God created man in his own image... And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 27, 31)

The Bible teaches that suffering and death came as a result of Adam's sin. After the Curse, some animals may have simply changed their diet; and others may have been given special designs for eating meat. God could have introduced such designs after the Curse, or He could have revealed designs placed in the organisms at the creation.

Carnivores appear to help keep the fallen world functioning despite the effects of the Curse. For instance, carnivores often improve the overall health of animal populations by taking out the weakest and the diseased.