Ancient Egyptian treasures more than 3,000 years old are coming to Dallas. The historic objects will to give viewers a glimpse into the life of one of Egypt’s most famous rulers of the 18th Dynasty.
The Dallas Museum of Art is preparing for “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs.” The exhibition will run at the museum from Oct. 3 to May 17, 2009. Fifty objects from King Tut’s burial site will be on display. The exhibition will have more than 70 objects from tombs of 18th Dynasty royals as well as several non-royal individuals.
Accompanying the objects at the exhibition will be “Opening Tutankhamun’s Tomb: The Harry Burton Photographs.” This photography exhibit will feature 38 prints from the artist. Burton was with Howard Carter, who made the discovery of the tomb in 1922, and documented each step of the uncovering process.
Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt in the 18th Dynasty. The 18 to 19 year old died during his ninth year of reign in 1323 B.C. It is said the king perished under mysterious circumstances. The pieces from his burial site will give visitors a sense of what other royal and common burial sites may have looked like.
According to Tara Bond-Freeman, doctor of archeology at Southern Methodist University, the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s burial tomb was a very important find in history.
“When it was discovered it was completely untouched, and unlike many burial sites, had not been looted,” she said.
Bond-Freeman feels anyone can appreciate the treasures that will be exhibited, saying that “the beauty of the objects will give people a sense of wealth Egypt had during that time, and show people cultural differences in burial procedures from then to now.”
Bond-Freeman has seen the exhibition before, and plans to take her own two children to experience it.
Since opening in 2005, the exhibition has drawn nearly four million visitors and has set records in each city it has visited, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Fort Lauderdale and Chicago. With nearly 1.3 million visitors at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, the exhibition became the most popular museum exhibit in the state’s history.
Its arrival in Dallas will mark the first time the display has been in the Southwest region of the country.
Tickets to the exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com. Group tickets for 10 or more are available at 214-922-1222 or groupsales@Dallas MuseumofArt.org. For additional information about tickets and ticket pricing call 1-877-TUT-TKTS.
