Petersburg, Ky from www.eaglecountryonline.com – – A gay couple says they paid for tickets, but were denied admission to an event at the Creation Museum in Petersburg.

The Kentucky Enquirer reports the couple planned to attend a “Date Night” event at the Christianity-centered museum on February 11.

One of the people reportedly involved, John Meador, is a blogger for alternative publication Leo Weekly in Louisville.

“Three of us (myself, my girlfriend and our friend Brandon) passed the security checkpoint despite minor scrutiny. We arrived right at 6:00 p.m.; (Creation Museum founder) Ken Ham was just beginning his talk of love in the museum’s special effects room, and we were eager to hear it. Brandon’s “date,” Joe (Sonka) of Barefoot & Progressive, was late, and so the solo Brandon was the focus of much interest for the two guards, who carried the air of actual police,” Meador wrote on the blog.

Museum operator Answers in Genesis said in a Feb. 15 web posting of its own that Joe Sonka planned the stunt well in advance, even asking for donations for tickets to the event on his blog.

“Mr. Sonka deliberately wanted to manufacture a scene at our special event by being ‘flamboyantly’ disruptive,” Answers in Genesis said.

Museum officials say the group was just trying to cause controversy and it was clear the event was for heterosexual couples only.

“We are not going to allow anyone to come to a private event and be disruptive. It’s not fair to the other people who also paid to attend the event. We welcome anyone to come to the Creation Museum during regular business hours because we want all people to be exposed to our message,” museum chief communications officer Mark Loy told the Enquirer.

Meador said his friends had not been given a refund since being turned away at the door, adding his girlfriend plans to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Answers in Genesis said the museum has been tolerant and welcoming of gay couples since opening in 2007.

“In the past, our staff has observed what they believed to be “gay” couples walking through the museum, and these guests were not approached (except in the rare instance where they were deemed to be acting in a disruptive manner). The Creation Museum has always welcomed individuals and groups who do not necessarily share our views.”