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Methuselah's Tent, Noah's Ark Construction, Voyage of the Ark, Rainbow Covenant -
Instilling Faith & Fear by Bringing Bible Stories to Life.
As with the Stargazer Planetarium, your experience in Methuselah's
Tent, Noah's Ark Construction, Voyage of the Ark, and the Rainbow
Covenant will be reminiscent of a school field trip, albeit with an
undertone of ominous foreshadowing and foreboding that comes with
Methuselah's admonishment: "God keeps his promises... Grandfather of Noah,
God told Noah to build a great ship, an ark... something terrible is
coming." This warning from a rather creepy life size wax rendering of
Methuselah as he sits above us in a rocking chair would leave any child
uncomfortable as it sets the stage for the extensive diorama depicting
the construction of the ark and its ensuing voyage. This begins with a
life-sized wax Noah delivering a threatening message in a deep and
knowing voice to his faithful helpers (and, by extension to us):
"Judgment is coming my friend [nodding, with serious gaze], but if you
come along, you will be safe in the Ark." Not surprisingly, this
classic biblical theme, that if you follow faithfully you will be safe
and saved, is a traditional message that you'll encounter throughout
the museum.
Proselytizing through Natural History.
In these rooms it is the relationship between the literal documentation
of this actual story as you would encounter it in any exhibit at The
National Museum of Natural History and the embedded warning that is
intelligently designed to instill fear that is most surreal:
Methuselah's grave expression, Noah's grim look, the graphic scientific
renderings of the water covered earth that has consumed all who lack
faith. Like any Natural history museum's depictions, the portrayal is
often seemingly neutral, but this subtly reinforces the dire underlying
message, making the experience all the chillier. The implications of
this fear-based story of drowning & death brought to life as a
scientific reality would cause any school child to worry. Overall,
these rooms seem appropriate for such a field trip, but the agenda and
its delivery are actually quite subversive.
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Exhibits: Methuselah's Tent
