The Blue Whale of Noah's Ark – West Mifflin, Pennsylvania - Atlas Obscura

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The Blue Whale of Noah's Ark

West Mifflin, Pennsylvania

The last funhouse of its kind, where guests enter through the mouth of an 80-year-old blue whale. 

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Inside Kennywood, a majestic and strangely constructed blue whale waits with an open mouth for daring guest to take their first step onto its spongy sticky tongue. You will have no time to question why this blue whale needed saving from a flood, because after stepping inside you’ll quickly be transported to a world of whimsy and adventure.

As you find your way through dimly lit corridors and squeaky moving floors, you’ll encounter many surprises and come face to face with familiarly odd animatronic creatures. Reaching the end of this timeless and unusual voyage, you’ll almost certainly be left with a smile on your face and a sense of awe. 

Originally built for Kennywood in 1936 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, Noah’s Ark is a visually striking and uniquely designed attraction that has been a cherished part of the park and the Pittsburgh community since its inception. While it has since been refurbished, its character is still enduring.

Funhouses based on the biblical narrative of Noah and his Ark have invited people of all ages to relive the story since the first Noah’s Ark-styled funhouse was designed by Leroy Ramond in 1919 for the Venice Pier in California. These attractions were unique because they incorporated typical funhouse elements within a wooden ark construction that usually featured animatronic animals and biblical scenes.

With the rise of modern amusement parks, many of these unique funhouse attractions have been lost. The only working one in the world that remains is this Noah’s Ark at Kennywood, which features a distinctive blue whale. 

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