Helpful Tips & FAQ

The Ark Encounter desires to provide excellent accessibility for each of our guests. Find out more on our Accessibility Accommodations Page. Please also reference our Accessibility Map on the Ark Maps Page for additional helpful information.

ATMs are available. Ticketing, food venues, and the gift shop accept all major credit cards.

The Ark Encounter is equipped with both air conditioning and heating units to keep the temperature comfortable for our guests.

Are you interested in visiting both the Ark Encounter and our sister attraction, the Creation Museum? A combo ticket gives you a one-day pass to the Ark Encounter and a one-day pass to the Creation Museum.

In the Ark, family restrooms and Nursing Mother’s rooms are available close to the main restrooms on each of the three decks. Inside the Answers Center, family restrooms are located in the lobby and on the lower level as well as a Nursing Mother’s room on the lower level. Changing tables are available in both men’s and women’s restrooms throughout the facility and grounds. Please reference our Accessibility Map on the Ark Encounter Maps page for additional helpful information.

Ark Encounter’s restaurant and snack stands feature a variety of delicious food offerings, including options for special needs.

The Ark Encounter is located just a brief drive away from dozens of lodging options. Find the best hotels in the tri-state area.

Parking is available for RVs and motor coaches during your visit. Overnight parking is not offered.

Parking is $15 for standard vehicles or $20 for oversized vehicles and paid upon entry. Lifetime Boarding passes include free parking.

Pets are not permitted at the Ark Encounter. All service animals are freely admitted. See more information below on service animals. “Comfort,” “therapy,” or “emotional support” animals do not meet the definition of a service animal and are not permitted. Please do not leave pets or service animals in an unattended vehicle for any amount of time. You may wish to find a local pet resort to house your pet for the day (see list below).

Guests are welcome to photograph and record all Ark Encounter exhibits, except for the Museum of the Bible exhibit and theater and video presentations. DVD versions of most of our videos are available for purchase in our online store or the on-site gift shop.

Many people ask how much time to allow for a visit to the Ark Encounter and all that it has to offer. You can easily spend at least a whole day visiting the Ark, its zoo, enjoying a meal, and catching one of our dynamic, world-class speakers at the Answers Center. Allow yourself at least 5–6 hours if you can only do a quick visit.

You are able to leave the Ark Encounter and reenter on the same day. Take the shuttle bus back to the parking lot and request a reentry wristband from our Admissions team. They will provide you a specially colored wristband that will allow you to regain entry later that day.

The Ark is wheelchair- and stroller-friendly. You may bring your own, or Guest Services offers both strollers and wheelchairs for the convenience of all visitors on a first-come, first-served basis.

Single strollers are available for a $10 fee, and double strollers are available for a $12 fee. Manual wheelchairs are available for a $12 fee, and a limited number of Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECVs) are available for a $38 fee. Rental fees include sales tax and are non-refundable.

The tram road is for the shuttle buses only. No personal vehicles are permitted on the road, so you will not be able to drop off your family in front of the Ark Encounter.

Contact any staff member in an emergency or non-emergency situation. Basic first aid services are available from the Public Safety Department.

Ark Encounter does have K-9 officers. Please note that these are working dogs and we ask that you not approach them to pet them or talk to them. Their focus cannot be diverted from their job.

If you believe you may have left something at the Ark Encounter, please contact (859) 727-2222 ext. 5777. We’ll do our best to track it down for you. If we find it, we’ll contact you for info regarding pickup or shipping.

Parents, please keep your eye on young children. Please pay attention to signage on exhibits. We do have special hands-on exhibits that children can touch all they want. If your child is missing, please notify the nearest Ark Encounter staff member. Our Public Safety Officers are trained in Code Adam.

Basic vehicle assistance is available, from jump-starting to unlocking vehicles. Contact any staff member or Public Safety Officer if you need vehicle assistance.

To ensure a safe and secure environment for our guests, please observe and respect these rules when visiting the Ark Encounter.

Our general admission and combo tickets are not date specific and are valid for one year from the date of purchase. No reservations are required to visit because there is plenty of room both inside and outside. Even on our largest attendance day ever, we were still well below one-third of our capacity!

Save with the combo ticket, which is valid for one day at the Creation Museum and one day at the Ark Encounter within a 7-day window. Parking is not included.

Need more time? The 3-Day Bouncer passes are valid for three days of unlimited visits to both the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter within a seven-day period. The three days do not have to be consecutive. Discounted parking is also available with the purchase of the 3-Day Bouncer Pass and offered during the purchasing process online.

Your tickets will be delivered as a pdf attachment to your confirmation email and can be printed or scanned from your smart device.

Kids (5–10) are free in 2024! Only one adult or senior ticket needs to be purchased for all child tickets in your party to be free. Tickets are required for admission, so visit the General Admission or Combo section to reserve free child tickets for those in your party.

At times the online ticketing store will not function well with certain browsers, such as Internet Explorer. If you are experiencing technical difficulties purchasing tickets online, try switching to another browser or wait a few minutes, refresh the page, and try again.