▁the ▁Ra ë li ans ' ▁attempt ▁to ▁achieve ▁tax - ex empt ▁status ▁was ▁a ▁success . ▁ ▁Rec ent ▁years ▁ ▁Museum ▁for ▁the ▁par an ormal ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁U FO land — built ▁by ▁the ▁Ra ë li ans ▁as ▁the ▁largest ▁structure ▁in ▁North ▁America ▁made ▁out ▁of ▁b ales ▁of ▁hay — open ed ▁on ▁their ▁Val court ▁estate . ▁ ▁Its ▁purpose ▁was ▁to ▁inform ▁the ▁public ▁about ▁the ▁Ra ë li an ▁interpretation ▁of ▁the ▁U FO ▁phenomen on ▁and ▁to ▁attract ▁funds ▁for ▁the ▁Ra ë li an ▁Foundation . ▁The ▁first ▁room ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁att raction ▁for ▁their ▁proposed ▁Ra ë li an ▁emb ass y ▁for ▁extr ater rest ri als . ▁ ▁Audio ▁visual ▁present ations ▁in ▁six ▁other ▁rooms ▁displayed ▁teach ings ▁about ▁the ▁Ra ë li an ▁message , ▁sight ings , ▁and ▁government ▁cover - ups ▁concerning ▁U FO s . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁U FO land ▁was ▁closed ▁to ▁the ▁public . ▁ ▁The ▁reason ▁given ▁by ▁the ▁director ▁for ▁U FO land ▁was ▁that ▁the ▁re venue ▁did ▁not ▁justify ▁the ▁costs — including ▁two ▁hour ▁tri ps ▁from ▁Montreal . ▁ ▁Anti - cler ical ▁campaign s ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Ra ë li ans ▁on ▁the ▁streets ▁attract ed ▁It ali ans ▁and ▁Swiss ▁people ▁as ▁they ▁gave ▁leaf lets ▁in ▁protest ▁to ▁over ▁a ▁hundred ▁child ▁mol esters