Strong Economic Impact for the Region
When King Tut’s treasures toured the U.S. from 1976-1979, nearly eight million Americans viewed the rare artifacts during sold-out tours at each museum in which they appeared. The exhibition was a must-see and had a tremendous impact on every city it visited, solidifying that the world’s first true "blockbuster exhibition" had arrived.Since June 2005, when King Tut’s treasures returned to the U.S. for a four-city tour for the first time in 26 years, the response has been equally impressive. More than 1.6 million people have seen the exhibit in its first two stops in Los Angeles and Ft. Lauderdale alone, making it one of the most successful exhibitions in the history of each museum.
The local economies in Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale also benefited from the exhibition to the tune of $168 million in Los Angeles County and $150 million in Broward County. Hotel stays also were up significantly in both cities during the exhibit's stay.
The Exhibit Itself
Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs features not only the treasures of King Tut but the story of his family and his time at the height of Egyptian culture and influence. As viewers progress through the eleven galleries, the objects are presented in context of the social and political backdrop of the time in which their owners lived and ruled.The exhibition includes more than 130 priceless treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun and other royal tombs, all between 3,000 and 3,500 years old. Included in these treasures are 50 of Tutankhamun’s burial objects, including his royal diadem - the gold crown discovered encircling the head of the king’s mummified body that he likely wore while living - and one of the gold, precious stone inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained his mummified internal organs.
Additional Artifacts on Display
Making up the rest of the exhibition are more than 70 stunning objects from tombs of other 18th Dynasty royals, as well as several other individuals. These stone, faience and wooden pieces from burials before Tut’s reign give visitors a sense of what the lost burials of other royalty and commoners may have been like. Only a few of these 130 artifacts were seen in the 1977 King Tut exhibition, and many have never before left Egypt.
National Geographic Images and Film Footage
The exhibit also features National Geographic images and film footage about the golden age of the pharaohs as well as information on cutting-edge research into the life and death of Tutankhamun. A smaller number of treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb were last displayed in the United States during a seven-city tour from 1976 to 1979, which attracted some 8 million visitors and set traveling show attendance records.
Groundbreaking CT Scans
Groundbreaking CT scans of the celebrated pharaoh King Tut will be displayed. The scans of Tutankhamun that will be featured in the exhibition were captured through the use of a portable CT scanner, donated by Siemens Medical Solutions, which allowed researchers to see through the mummy’s wrappings and for the first time, to compile a three-dimensional picture of Tutankhamun. These never-before-seen images will be on display in the final room of the exhibit, along with other dramatic images and video footage.
Pre-Registration and Ticket Information
Individual tickets for the show will be available on November 8, 2006 at 1-888-600-KTUT (5888). Pre-registration is now open at www.fi.edu/. If you plan on attending the show, it is strongly advised that you pre-register and be prepared to purchase your tickets on November 8, 2006. When you register they advise you that an email will be sent to you when you are able to buy tickets. If you lose your certificate, you may reapply for an additional certificate on KingTut.org, while supplies last. Individual ticket prices are not yet available.
Group tickets are on sale now. The prices begin at $24 per person. The audio guide will cost an additional $6.
