King Tut Exhibit

Goonie

New member
The King Tut exhibit is coming to Toronto in November, and there's an Indiana Jones connection. I bolded the Indy bit. The article is from CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2009/04/23/ago-toronto-king-tut-exhibit.html

Massive King Tut exhibit to return to Toronto
Last Updated: Thursday, April 23, 2009 | 4:49 PM ET Comments3Recommend7CBC News

Three decades after he set off "Tut Mania," Egypt's famed boy pharaoh is set to return to Toronto, with Art Gallery of Ontario officials hoping he'll give a healthy boost to the art venue's flagging attendance.

The gallery announced Thursday that Toronto will be the sole Canadian stop for the massive exhibit Tutankhamen: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, beginning in November.

When the Treasures of Tutankhamen went on tour in the 1970s, throngs flocked to the exhibit, including when it hit Toronto in 1979. AGO director Matthew Teitelbaum believes that the pharoah's allure continues.

"He's a young guy who ruled the world. I mean, that's the fantasy for all of us, I think," he told CBC News.

Since reopening after a lavish Frank Gehry redesign about five months ago, just 350,000 people have visited the downtown gallery ? nearly 20 per cent behind projections ? and officials recently cut back visiting hours. However, AGO public affairs director Susan Bloch Nevitt said she believes the Tut show will turn things around.

"We absolutely believe it can," she said. "The last time King Tut was here, in 1979, we had 750,000 ? actually, more than that ? who came during a six-week period. So imagine what we can do now in this wonderful gallery."

More treasures plus scientific displays
Encompassing about 130 ancient artifacts, or nearly twice the number of artifacts displayed in the 1970s Tutankhamen exhibit, the new show features "an almost entirely different selection of treasures," many never before seen in North America, according to AGO officials.

A featured artifact will be the colourful, 10-foot statue of the pharaoh found at the remains of the funerary temple of two of his high officials, described as the largest image of King Tut ever unearthed.

The exhibit will also include elements from a scientific research and conservation project, such as the first three-dimensional CT scan of King Tut's mummified body, as well as multimedia components, including an audio tour and video documentary narrated by Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford.

"Tutankhamen's magic still captures the hearts of people all over the world, even though more than 85 years have passed since the discovery of his amazing tomb," Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said in a statement.

"I always say that Egyptian antiquities are the heritage of the world and that we are their only guardians."

The Egyptian council teamed up with the National Geographic Society, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions to organize Tutankhamen: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, which is currently attracting record visitors to the Atlanta Civic Center.

The AGO will give its members a sneak preview of the exhibit beginning Nov. 21, with the general opening to the public set for Nov. 24. The show will remain in Toronto through April 18, 2010.

The exhibit's official website is:http://www.kingtut.org/home

I know this show is in the States right now. Does anyone know how it compares to the exhibit that traveled in the 1970s? I didn't see that one as I wasn't born yet, but my parents saw it in Seattle.

I wonder if Steve Martin is touring with it:
steve-martinKingTut.jpg

"He gave his life for tourism..."
;)
 
It's a shame the Audio tour they sell in the gift shop is nararrated by Omar Sharif...how cool would it be to hear Indiana Jones himself discussing the artifacts!
 

Indy99

New member
This exhibit is currently here in Munich, Germany about 1.5 hours from me. I haven't gone yet, but a friend of mine told me about it. They set it up through old film and such that you are actually with Carter as he discovers the tomb. Then, when you go inside, the room is set up exactly ast the tomb was upon discover; ie: a huge mess with tons of things piled up on top of each other, etc. Then there's a second room with your traditional glass cases for close up viewing, etc. The way they're displaying it sounded very cool to me, and I really plan on going if it's going to be here more than a month. I'll keep you guys posted.

Incidentally, I just saw all the real stuff in Cairo. You weren't allowed to take any photos, but it was truly awe-inspiring. In fact, that entire museum was beyond words: literally CRAMMED with thousands and thousands of pieces!! Don't miss it, if you're ever in Egypt!
 
Indy99 said:
This exhibit is currently here in Munich, Germany about 1.5 hours from me. I haven't gone yet, but a friend of mine told me about it. They set it up through old film and such that you are actually with Carter as he discovers the tomb. Then, when you go inside, the room is set up exactly ast the tomb was upon discover; ie: a huge mess with tons of things piled up on top of each other, etc. Then there's a second room with your traditional glass cases for close up viewing, etc. The way they're displaying it sounded very cool to me, and I really plan on going if it's going to be here more than a month. I'll keep you guys posted.

Incidentally, I just saw all the real stuff in Cairo. You weren't allowed to take any photos, but it was truly awe-inspiring. In fact, that entire museum was beyond words: literally CRAMMED with thousands and thousands of pieces!! Don't miss it, if you're ever in Egypt!


Is there an audio tour nararrated by Harrison Ford? Can you get a copy?!?
 

Indy&HanFan

New member
i saw the exhibit in chicago a couple of years ago. it was really interesting. if anyone has the chance to go, you should.

on side a note, does anyone else think that king tut looks like barbara streisand?
king_tut.jpg


Barbara_Streisand_On_A_Clear_Day-734329.jpg
 

RedeemedChild

New member
Well a King Tut exibit is currently here in Atlanta at the HIGH Museum of Art and it's supposed to be closing any day now. The Terracotta Army exibit has already closed and they also have statue of Anubus in Underground Atlanta very remeniscent of the two guarding the entrance to The Mummy experience at Universal Studios of LA.
 
RedeemedChild said:
Well a King Tut exibit is currently here in Atlanta at the HIGH Museum of Art and it's supposed to be closing any day now. The Terracotta Army exibit has already closed and they also have statue of Anubus in Underground Atlanta very remeniscent of the two guarding the entrance to The Mummy experience at Universal Studios of LA.

You NEED to get down there and find out about the Harrison Ford narrrated audio tour!

Can you get a copy/post a copy/buy one?!?!?!?
 

Indy&HanFan

New member
Indy&HanFan said:
i saw the exhibit in chicago a couple of years ago. it was really interesting. if anyone has the chance to go, you should.

on side a note, does anyone else think that king tut looks like barbara streisand?
king_tut.jpg


Barbara_Streisand_On_A_Clear_Day-734329.jpg

king-tut-facial-reconstruction.jpg
 

Goonie

New member
Indy&HanFan said:
i saw the exhibit in chicago a couple of years ago. it was really interesting. if anyone has the chance to go, you should.

on side a note, does anyone else think that king tut looks like barbara streisand?
king_tut.jpg


Barbara_Streisand_On_A_Clear_Day-734329.jpg

He doesn't look like Barbra Streisand, he looks like Boy George! :eek: (when BG was younger of course, not the way he looks now.)
 

Indy&HanFan

New member
Goonie said:
He doesn't look like Barbra Streisand, he looks like Boy George! :eek: (when BG was younger of course, not the way he looks now.)

i can see a little boy george in him too, but you have to admit he looks like barbara too
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia...

In twenty-days it'll be here in San Francisco at the de Young Museum. I've read through all the information that I can find, but I don't see a reference to Harrison Ford's audio tour anywhere. Once I go, I'll see if I can't shed some light on the availability of his presentation. Maybe it's an exclusive to Toronto?

These two comments are interesting.

New to the encore tour of the exhibition are two nested coffinettes that contained the remains of two fetuses that are now undergoing DNA testing to reveal their relationship to King Tut. Also new to the exhibition from Tutankhamun?s tomb is a beautiful scarab bracelet featuring a central image of a beetle representing the sun god. An elaborate pectoral, a masterpiece of jewelry making, contains a rare, yellow-green glass stone carved in the shape of a scarab beetle that some scientists believe to be a fragment of an ancient meteorite.

Treasures of Tutankhamun, an exhibition of 60 artifacts from Tut?s tomb, toured the U.S. from 1976?1979. Thirty years later, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs presents more than 130 treasures from King Tut?s tomb, as well as other ancient Egyptian sites. Many of the artifacts have never been seen in the U.S. before this tour, and the San Francisco presentation will also include four beautiful new objects from Tut?s tomb not seen on the first leg of the U.S. tour that traveled to Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

Hmm... The Online Shop at the de Young is selling a coffee table book with the "official audio tour" narrated by Omar Sharif.
 

Goonie

New member
bennihana123 said:
I saw it in Atlanta along with the film Harrison Ford narrated.

Very good. Go if you can.

So what all did they have on display? Obviously it wasn't the size of the exhibit that toured during the 70s. I didn't see it as I wasn't born yet, but my parents saw it in Seattle and said it was amazing, especially the gold death mask.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Goonie said:
So what all did they have on display? Obviously it wasn't the size of the exhibit that toured during the 70s. I didn't see it as I wasn't born yet, but my parents saw it in Seattle and said it was amazing, especially the gold death mask.
I can't imagine this tour has as much as the one in the '70s. I was in Cairo 2 weeks ago and the death mask was there. There were a number of missing pieces (w/photo & note saying something akin to, "on traveling exhibit") but none of them seemed to be major items. In the early '90s I had seen a Ramses exhibit and saw all the mummies & Rosetta stone at the British Museum in London but was completely AWE-STRUCK by the museum in Cairo. It's incredible!:eek:
 

Goonie

New member
Stoo said:
I can't imagine this tour has as much as the one in the '70s. I was in Cairo 2 weeks ago and the death mask was there. There were a number of missing pieces (w/photo & note saying something akin to, "on traveling exhibit") but none of them seemed to be major items. In the early '90s I had seen a Ramses exhibit and saw all the mummies & Rosetta stone at the British Museum in London but was completely AWE-STRUCK by the museum in Cairo. It's incredible!:eek:

A few years ago, I did see a traveling egyptian exhibit from the British Museum in Victoria at the Royal British Columbia Museum. One of the more famouse pieces they brought was the little glass vase in the shape of a fish. I've seen photos of this in a number of books, but it was great to see the real thing up close. And, even though I was only 7 at the time, I remember seeing the Ramses exhibit at Expo 86 in Vancouver.

I would absolutey love to go to Cairo one day, but I'd like to see the political tensions/wars in the middle east to subside a little so it's a little safer to go. And then there's also my unemployment situation which I hope comes to an end soon and I can save up for a trip. A friend of mine went to the pyramids and a few sites along the Nile and also went over to see Petra in Jordan. He brought back some amazing photos. I hope I get the chance to go myself.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Goonie, now that you mention it, the Ramses exhibit must have been summer '89 for me. You saw the fish, eh?(y)

I can understand what you mean about seeing things up close & personal. To my naked eye, ALL the Tut stuff freaked me out in ways that I did not expect. There was a HUGE, coloured necklace in the shape of wings which must have had at least 200 faceted plates arranged to form the individual feathers. They were all held together by an intricate web of fine wire and loops. Stunning, splendorous and well fit for a king! Plus, despite all the photographs I've seen, the visit gave a much better idea on what the tomb looked like before being pillaged and that the "container" for King Tut was like a gigantic, Russian nesting doll...Mummy w/mask > sarcophogus > larger sarcophogus > large gold box > even larger gold box > even larger gold garage! They were displayed in order down a hallway leading up to the main exhibit (which is in it's own secure area). The golden chariot was also really great to see "in the flesh".

Two items of note about the British Museum and Cairo. 1) London has the real Rosetta Stone. Cairo has a replica! 2) London has a large collection of mummies (all sorts, like cats & even smaller animals) and the entire museum is free admission. In Cairo, there is an entrance fee plus an additional charge to see the mummies (and as Egypt thrives on toursim, I don't blame them).

All the power to you, Goonie! Hope you make it there one day. From my experience, Cairo 2009 is very tourist-friendly. I had an amazing trip but have always dreamed of going down into the Sudan to Khartoum, where the Nile splits. Now is not a good time.:(

But, yeah, any details on the current traveling Tut would be well worth posting. Photos are forbidden in Cairo and (I think) in London as well.
 

Joosse

New member
I was lucky enough to see King Tut himself when I was in Egypt last summer. A little girl who was in my class at the time couldn't believe I had not gome in there the first time I was in Egypt, so she made me promise that this time I would go in.

So when I was in the Valley of the Kings I really wanted to see his tomb, as I had missed out on that the year before. But as people who have been there know, there's an extra charge for visiting King Tut's tomb. Like Stoo, I don't blame them, they need the money.

But when I then got to the tomb, it was closed because they were filming inside. So I made a heartbraking plea about how I had promised that I would go to the girl in my class. The film crew saw me and told the guards they should send me in.

Inside they had Tut's mummy completely uncovered. An amazing sight. Normally I think you only get to see the head. They filmed me while I looked over the tomb and the mummy. Also, one of the archeologists on site complimented me on my hat.

So if you guys ever see footage somewhere of a guy inside King Tut's tomb wearing a Noel Howard shirt and an Akubra, that's bound to be me.... ;)
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
As most of you know, Tut is making his final North American appearance in New York City at the Discovery Times Square Exposition. If you're anywhere in the vicinity, I encourage you to visit. While they could have some extra placards and signage detailing the importance of some of items, it is quite the exhibit. And as a bonus, New Yorkers are going to get a glimpse of one of Tut's chariots. Possibly the one he was in just before he died according to Doctor Hawass.

A couple of interesting notes: I know some people have complained about the ticket price; at $25 in addition to normal entry fees, it is rather steep. However, again according to Dr. Hawass, Egypt is getting a hefty cut of the proceeds that will be used in funding the new Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza. While not overly fond of the design, it is an innovative way to raise money for the project.

Also: I was surprised that this exhibit opened on Times Square. I would've figured on The Met or the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. Hawass wasn't pleased about it either.

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John Norman, president of Arts & Exhibitions, Intl., responds to Dr. Hawass' question. If you don't want to watch it, he basically says we wouldn't have made enough money.

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You can read the review from The New York Times here. There's a good Q&A with Dr. Hawass over here as well.
 
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