After the deluge, a rainbow

EVERYONE, it seems, knows Noah.

In researching the new Noah’s Ark exhibition that opens June 26 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, the development team discovered that most people -- especially kids -- instinctively know this ancient flood story.

“It didn’t matter their background or ethnicity, everyone had heard of this story,” says exhibit developer Marni Gittleman, who, along with her staff, interviewed a diverse selection of more than 1,000 local school children, parents and teachers, as well as meeting with families at libraries and coffee shops.

The universality was eye-opening.

“There was an instant connection to the rainbow, the animals and even the drawbridge to the ark,” Gittleman says. The team used countless discussion notes, children’s drawings and written versions of the Noah story to create this 8,000-square-foot permanent exhibit in which a two-story ark towers over and invites in visitors.

In a nutshell, the exhibit is a hands-on playground aboard a 21st century ark where the crew includes life-size elephants and giraffes, as well as snow leopards, kiwis, crocodiles and zebras. More than 180 animals from around the world are represented.

While some beasties are, in essence, art sculptures -- cleverly handcrafted from recycled materials such as oil cans, combs and boxing gloves -- there are plenty of touchable animals for the kids.

Indeed, interaction is the name of the game as families help construct the floor-to-ceiling ark, load the animals, create a rainstorm and help maintain peace onboard by feeding and cleaning up after the critters.

Once the voyage is “brought to shore,” guests walk through the ark to an outside park-like area where mist-makers mingle with sunshine to create real rainbows. Art making, storytelling, nature experiments, concerts and other educational events are planned for this outdoor arena and nearby amphitheater.

Overall, Gittleman explains that this ancient tale of a man and his big boat resonates today in the Internet Age, because it contains universal metaphors and simple, yet profound, ideas.

“The story is in three acts -- meeting challenges, working as a community and creating a more hopeful world,” she says. “It’s a message that still rings true today. It still is very much relevant.”

Noah’s Ark, Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. Opens June 26. $10 adults; $5 children. (310) 440-4500; www.skirball.org.

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Coming in June

Calendar takes a detailed look at the Noah’s Ark exhibition.