The San Diego New Atheists and Agnostics, a group with over 700 registered members, has announced plans for a “positive protest” at the Creation and Earth History Museum on Saturday, September 24.

“I've tried the angry-atheist thing before and, believe me, it doesn't work,” says John Viggiano, an event organizer, on the group’s meetup.com page. “I think we should focus more on trying to improve the public image of science than on education and criticism of creationism (although education will certainly be a part of it). Science has a PR problem and it's our job to do what we can to fix it, locally anyway.”

On the same day, the 7,500 square foot Santee facility is planning a Museum Day, to include “Guest Speakers, Live Performances, Creepy Things Reptile Encounter, Human Anatomy Tours, Dinosaur Gardens, Face Painting, Balloon Animals, [a] Raffle and More.”

The museum, operated by Tom and Cheryl Cantor’s Light & Life Foundation Ministries, was founded by the Institute of Creation Research in 1992. It features exhibits intended as a “showcase for a literal six-day creation and young earth with an ever-growing emphasis on God's design in creation.” These include a Noah’s Ark display and “Grand Canyon Wall & Fossils – Evidence for a Flood.”

The Cantors also own Santee biotech Scantibodies Laboratory, Inc., which happens to be Viggiano’s employer. Viggiano told East County Magazine the purpose of his event was to “keep science alive” and “defend evolution.”

Pictured: image from Creation & Earth History Museum's website.