And everywhere there are signs reminding guests that they have two choices when determining historical truth: God’s Word or human reason. So choose wisely.

On a wall a sign reads: Human philosophy says “I think, therefore I am.”  Biblical truth, meanwhile, makes clear of God that “I am that I am.”

That struggle between following the mind of God and the mind of man is largely the reason so much emotion is brought to the table when creationists come face to face with evolutionists, whether they be Christians or not.

It is why more than 800 scientists from Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana signed a “statement of concern” about the museum, and why a physics/astronomy professor from Cleveland rated the museum a 4 out of 5 for technology – 5 being best – and a 5 for propaganda and negative 5 for content.

“Evolutionists get red in the face and the proverbial steam comes out of their ears, because in essence we’re challenging their whole world view, that there is meaning to life,” said Mark Looy, vice president of Answers in Genesis.

And yet both Looy and Ham insist their chief aims are evangelism and emphasis on the authority of scripture

“It’s not that we’re insisting on a (literal) six days of creation,” Ham said. “It’s we’re insisting you take God at his word.”

Ham shared a meeting he had with humanist Eugene Scott, an anthropologist and executive director of the National Center for Science Education, which stands against creationism and intelligent design.

“She sat right there,” Ham said, pointing to a padded chair in his museum office, “And she said, ‘Ken, I know a lot of people of faith who have no trouble believing in evolution and millions of years (age of the earth).’ I said to her, ‘Dr. Scott, would you agree they can’t believe in millions of years if they take Genesis as literal history?’ She agreed. In other words, she knows. If taken as written, it’s six days. Secularists know that.”

Ham quickly points out, however, that winning arguments isn’t the point, which is why the museum experience ends at the emotional “Last Adam” exhibit, a movie that includes a Roman centurion speaking of Christ’s death.