The August newsletter of Branson’s Creation Experience Museum shared some exciting research and paleontological discoveries in which Museum staff have been involved. In May 2023, six team members participated in a fossil dig in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation, where numerous significant dinosaur fossils have been found. They were invited to Montana by Dr. Mark Armitage, a creationist biologist who made news with a wrongful termination lawsuit due to his beliefs and is in an ongoing battle with academia to accept his research and evidence for a young earth. Through Dinosaur Soft Tissue Research Institute (https://dstri.org), he now does research as a nonprofit to help other groups.
The “Branson team,” as other dig participants and leaders call the group, has participated in digs in several states, and is currently working to “un-jacket” several fossils for display, removing protective coverings similar to a plaster splint applied for transport.
During the Hell Creek Dig, an exciting discovery occurred when team member Sherry Baker found part of a Triceratops pubis sticking out of the ground. Careful further excavation revealed a well-preserved 34-inch specimen, which now resides in the Creation Experience Museum fossil lab, where it is being prepped for display.
Fossilization is described as the process of remains of once living organisms turning into stone. It has been assumed no original soft, biological materials would be found in them, but many discoveries have challenged that assumption as research processes reveals soft, flexible biomaterials inside fossils.
Fossilization is actually consistent with the biblical account of a global Flood occurring around 4,500 years ago. Fossilization requires rapid, deep burial; animals and organic matter left lying around are highly likely to decay or be destroyed by scavengers long before the timeline required by evolution theory for fossil layers. It has been estimated that soft tissues and DNA inside bones could not possibly last more than 1 million years—yet, many specimens have been found and researched. There has been limited discussion of the research in many scientific environments, since the presence of these tissues is obviously a major problem for evolutionary theory requiring many millions of years, but no problem for the 4,500-year Flood timeline.
Things got exciting for the Creation Experience team when Curtis and Sherry Baker took Sherry’s Triceratops discovery to the Creation Evidence Museum lab in Texas, where core sampling by technicians revealed collagens, remnants of blood clots consistent with drowning, and other softer tissue cells.
Such discoveries are consistent with the Biblical timeline, and the Creation Experience Museum staff is excited to share this exhibit with visitors. In the meantime, though, exciting displays are already available, and admission is free, so come in and see the exhibits, talk to volunteers who have been on the paleontological digs, and participate in hands-on activities that help show how fossilization and other processes work.
Museum director Curtis Baker said both he and Creation Experience founder Dr. Rod Butterworth have a good relationship with Answers in Genesis, the creationist ministry partnering to bring a new virtual reality attraction to Branson next spring. He hopes the new adventure will help remind even more people that everything, including science, makes more sense when starting with God’s Word. Baker invites people planning a visit to Truth Traveler to continue their learning experience with a visit to the Museum, where they can see up-close evidence, do some fun educational activities, and chat with Museum staff about their paleontological dig experiences; Sherry Baker enjoys sharing about her opportunity to see different soft tissue components highlighted by microscopic lighting during the research.
Creation Experience Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday from March to December, with the last tour beginning at 3:30 p.m.; and by appointment during winter months. Staff members are also available for school presentations, vacation Bible school lessons, etc. Visit https://creationexperiencemuseum.com/ to plan your visit; you can also read more about exciting soft tissue research, see some amazing photos, and stay up to date on the preparation of the Triceratops fossil!
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