Who built this place?
Noah’s Ark at the Skirball was created by a whole crew of people—from architects to puppet makers, sound-effects whizzes to people who could tie knots, to a mom-and-pop team who knew the right way to make a rainbow.
Then we brought in folks to fill it with fun, like storytellers, musicians, puppeteers, and visual artists. Before building anything, we talked with kids and teachers and parents, and we thought it through for years, kicking and screaming and cheering and high fiving until we got it right.
When did the journey begin?
Noah’s Ark at the Skirball opened in June 2007, after five years of thinking about it 24/7. But the inspiration really came from an armada of folk-art Noah’s Arks that the Skirball has in its Museum collection—more than 120 in all.
Where’s Noah?
Here’s our take on the story: it’s about surviving the challenges life throws our way by getting along and working together, and about making the most of second chances. All of us have a role to play, so on this ark, all of us are Noahs.
And guess what? All the animals are welcome, too—not just two of each, and not just the cute and cuddly ones. As it turns out, Noah’s Ark is just one of hundreds of flood stories from around the world. In some tales, the ark is a walnut shell; in others, a hollowed-out pumpkin. But they all have huge storms, safe shelters, and new beginnings.
Why did you build it?
Well, we wanted to create a space especially for families. We wanted it to be fun, of course, but also meaningful—a celebration of diversity and community, and an experience for all generations.
Welcoming and honoring families is at the heart of the Skirball’s mission as a Jewish institution. We hope you feel a sense of wonder when you step inside. We hope it’s a space where people talk to one another and maybe feel inspired to go out and do something good in the world.
What’s it made of?
We used an old story, so we decided to use old stuff. Stuff from attics, stuff from e-bay, and some stuff right off the street. And there’s nothing here that lights up or reboots when you press a button. Our bells and whistles are actual bells and whistles.
The ark itself is made of Douglas fir. And the animal heads are hand-carved from sustainably harvested wood. (That means we borrowed from forests but didn’t destroy them.)
Ram
This ram’s design was directly inspired by a piece of art called Bull’s Head, created by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso in 1942. Picasso’s work, just like this one, used an old bicycle seat for the head and bicycle handlebars for the horns. The ram’s fluffy body is made from cotton curtain fringe.
Zebra
The life-sized zebras at the entrance of the Ark are made of wood, keyboards, and wind turbines that visitors can make spin around. Every zebra in the world has its own pattern of distinctive stripes, unique to each individual.
Norway Rat
This lively rat’s colorful body is actually a used croquet ball. Croquet is a popular sport played around the world, in which players use a mallet to knock their balls through hoops stuck in the grass. Wrapped wire forms the arms, tail, and those wacky whiskers! The rat’s good-humored, comical expression is completed by a pair of buttons for eyes.
Brown Kiwi
The brown kiwi, a flightless bird native to New Zealand, is the only bird in the world with nostrils on the end of its beak, which it uses to sniff out underground insects. The slightly anxious-looking kiwi aboard Noah’s Ark has a body made from antique boxing gloves, paintbrushes for legs, and a tarnished old oil can for a head.
Barn Owl
The Noah’s Ark owl hovers overhead with its majestic spread of wings made from red and black Asian fans. Barn owls are found on every continent in the world except for Antarctica, and can have wingspans of up to three-and-a-half feet! This owl’s body is composed of industrial steel coil, and its heart-shaped face was hand-carved out of wood.
Wild Boar
Inspired by punk kids sporting mohawk haircuts, designer Alan Maskin gave this friendly wild boar a stiff mane of brush bristles taken from a large industrial paintbrush. Its bright-yellow carved-wood body is fashionably complemented by a curly, yellow telephone cord tail.
Rooster
Designer Christopher M. Green used an old red cowboy boot to make this rooster puppet, who you might see rolling around the Ark floor. The flap of skin dangling under the rooster’s neck is called a wattle, and the fleshy crest atop its head is its comb.