Noah's Ark

Noah's ark opened in August 2000 after more than two years of preparation. It represents a dream come true for the operators, Irvin and Shirley Thrush. The building is more than 18,500 square feet inside and 75 feet wide by more than 300 feet long including the bow and stern sections. It is situated on 6.34 scenic acres. Full-sized, painted wooden animals walk toward the Ark and hand painted murals grace the interior.

Much of the artwork and murals were painted by local artist, Cheryl Huber, who did a superlative job. If you like it, be sure and fill out a comment card. Our bow was originally built by more than thirty individuals who came from three states and did it as a project. The interior was finished by local contractor Gober and Son.

The Dream Represents:

The wish of Irvin and Shirley Thrush to share a glimpse into stories held dear to three world religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We bring the history of world-heritage to life in a fun restaurant, eclectic bookstore and educational tour.

The "Noah's Galley" Restaurant:

Noah's Galley features tasty food in a family environment. Enjoy the life-sized murals and fantastic view as you wait for your entree. Watch your kids or grandkids play in the ark play house. Be sure to appreciate the hand-made scale model of Noah's Ark as it might have looked in our display case. Please understand that this is a mom and pop operation (OK, we're really great grandparents). Our service is sometimes slower than in other restaurants, but, we're in our seventies and do most of the work ourselves. We think the food is worth waiting for!

High Tide Gifts:

Our gift shop and bookstore features unusual gifts from around the world and we carry books and videos for children and adults on a variety of topics. Our books include titles which we feel are of interest to our visitors. They range from secular collections of poetry and short stories by our author-physician son (The Fallen Leaf Anthology series), to religious references and children's books about Noah's Ark. We also carry From Paralysis to Praise, which is my own story of overcoming polio and the roots of my faith. It gives more details of how Noah's Ark came to be.

The Noah's Ark Room:

The Noah's Ark Room is a place where you can see a mechanical Noah give the story of how he built his Ark. We realize that people hold different beliefs about Noah's Ark and the timeline of world history. Regardless of your specific beliefs, the story of Noah and his ark is one which crosses countless cultural and religious lines and is one of the earliest adventure stories told by mankind. We hope you enjoy this area which is free to the public.

The Ancient Temple Mystery Tour:

On this tour you can experience the exciting history of an ancient tabernacle brought to life. It is open seven days a week from mid-February through most of December. Inside you will see the Ark of the Covenant, made most familiar to the non-religious community in the Indiana Jones film "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

You will also see the altar of sacrifice with the fire burning, the altar of incense, the table of showbread, the Ark of the Covenant, a painted Mt. Sinai, and Mt. Nebo. We have re-created the tabernancle to the exact proportions as described in the Bible or Torah.

This is the only permanent display of the full-sized tabernacle on the West Coast and there are only two others like it in the United States.

Some comments from people who have taken the tour:

"It is awesome, wonderful, it brings it to life, visualize & understand the symbolism, beautiful, so informative. I learned new things, very nice, it was so real, it wasa true to the Bible, the art work is a must see."

Adults: $6.00. Seniors: $5.50. Children ages 4-12 years old: $4.50. 3 & under free. Special group rates apply.

Other Displays: Ezekiel's Temple and others

By special arrangement you can see a scale model of Ezekiel's Temple and follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ in the Life of Christ Miniature Room. We continue to add displays as time goes on.

About Irvin and Shirley Thrush

Irvin is a native Oregonian from Camas Valley. He is proud that his great-grandfather came across the plains by wagon and settled here in beautiful Oregon. He married Shirley Thrush in 1955. Irvin and Shirley have two sons, three grand-children and three great-grandchildren. When their kids were small they enjoyed reading stories such as Noah's Ark and Mowses and the Tabernacle to them. They are delighted to share these same stories with you right here at Noah's Ark!