The Ark Encounter gift shops give visitors several venues with relevant gifts and resources that are anchored to the museum experience.
How big was Noah’s Ark, and how did all the animals fit inside?
Visitors can discover these answers and find more pressing biblical explanations to today’s tough questions firsthand at the full-size ark replica in Williamstown, Kentucky.
The modern engineering marvel was built according to dimensions listed in the Bible. Standing 51 feet tall and spanning 510 feet long, Ark Encounter includes three decks filled with scores of displays that explore faith.
The attraction opened in 2016 — a project of the nonprofit Answers in Genesis, founded to help Christians better understand and defend their faith. The organization is located about 40 minutes away from Ark Encounter in Petersburg, Kentucky, where it also operates the Creation Museum.
 There’s a souvenir for everyone, from drinkware to picture frames and toys. Photos: Stephanie McClure. Guests make pilgrimages from across the country and world to experience Ark Encounter, says Cathy Johnson, retail manager.
“We offer impactful gifts and resources for guests to take home and share their faith with family and friends,” Johnson says. “Visitors are excited to share their experience when they get home with souvenirs and resources that make a positive impact.”
Museum mementos Retail outposts throughout Ark Encounter expose visitors to a range of resources, gifts and mementos. The main gift shop is situated within the ark’s bow on the first level, but multiple touchpoints offer opportunities for guests to explore exhibits while finding relevant souvenirs that connect to the ark Bible story and Christian history.
Visitors arrive at the site’s Answer Center, where a resource shop much like a library sells Answers in Genesis curriculum, DVDs and a range of books, including titles written by many of the speakers who present at the center.
Once inside Ark Encounter, a kiosk offers guidebooks geared toward elementary children and adults. The guidebook isn’t essential to take in the experience, she says.
On level two, visitors find a shop that specializes in fair trade clothing and jewelry. A staff member/buyer specializes in building these vendor relationships and coordinating purchases.
Fair trade offerings include a range of jewelry such as bracelets made from recycled flip flops, handmade purses and garments.
“We have relationships with artisans from around the world and we provide fair trade wages and safe working conditions for them,” says Johnson.
 Animal themes are aplenty on merchandise such as tote bags, socks and plush toys at Ark Encounter’s gift shops. Guests exit by elevator or ramp to the lower-level Ark Encounter gift shop, which is organized by category and theme and includes well over 1,000 SKUs, Johnson says. There are more fair trade items at this level, and framed signage explains where customers’ purchases are from and the communities they benefit.
The main gift store is full of name-drop apparel and clothing with faith-centered statements, books and resources, plush and games, and souvenirs ranging from keychains to golf balls, magnets and license plate frames.
A rainbow wall houses most apparel, along with related items such as a rainbow picture frame and plush giraffe.
A flood wall includes books, flood-related puzzles, more books and goodies like a snow globe with an ark inside. And along the ark wall, customers will find more puzzles, mugs, bookmarks, magnets and model Noah’s Arks — everything ark.
A dedicated area for children’s items is brimming with plush animals, “huggers” in Noah’s Ark animal themes that wrap around a child’s wrist like a bracelet, cute animal socks, onesies and more. A go-to kid’s product: The family of Ark Encounter giraffe mascots, George, Gloria, Gracie and Junior.
Of all the merchandise the gift shop sells, Johnson says the three top sellers are books. “Adam’s Chart of History” unfolds into a timeline that chronicles secular and Bible history. The two other favorites are also books: “Ark Signs” and “Creation Museum Signs.” These are compilations of the informative signage guests find at both destinations. There are combo packs available, as well.
“Guests have the opportunity to purchase resources that equip them to defend their faith and take home special gifts to remember their visit and share with loved ones,” Johnson says.
Prepping for peak seasonsThousands of people flock to Ark Encounter every day during the summer, and the shoulder seasons are busy with hosting field trips and church excursions. The destination also hosts the world’s largest Christian music festival from July 29 to Sept. 6, “40 Days and 40 Nights of Christian Music at the Ark.”
 Kids enjoy Ark Encounter’s colorful plush snakes and other toys, and customers of all ages enjoy the shirts. It takes a village to order inventory, manage shipments and stock merchandise. The Ark Encounter retail team escalates to about 85 employees during the summer, Johnson says. Dedicated truck and merchandising teams prepare the site’s shops for rushes of visitors.
A team will restock inventory throughout the day. The Ark Encounter also receives new merchandise via truck every evening.
When the evening shipments arrive, a team unloads merchandise and moves it to an inventory holding area. Then in the morning, merchandising staff put products on the sales floor before the museum opens.
Meanwhile, designated buyers are responsible for selecting products. Johnson’s role is to oversee all the moving parts.
She can’t imagine a better retail environment to spend her time and share her talent. “I enjoy the guest engagement, and when people come here, they are overwhelmed,” Johnson says. “They get emotional and thank us for everything that we have done to provide this experience.”
Johnson acknowledges, “It’s definitely different than working in a secular shop. I can pray with my staff in the morning and feel comfortable. It’s a blessing.”
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