Fine Art PR Publicity Announcements News and Information
Fine Art PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

‘Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,’ Opening at the Dallas Museum of Art in October 2008

DALLAS – Tickets for the encore tour of “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,” beginning at the Dallas Museum of Art, will become available for public purchase at 10 a.m. CT, today. Following the success of the first U.S. tour, which drew nearly 4 million visitors and broke records at each of the four museums it visited from June 2005 through September 2007, the exhibition will return from its current London engagement to open at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) on October 3, 2008. The exhibition will remain on view through May 17, 2009.

The Dallas engagement marks the first time these treasures will be seen in the Southwest region. The exhibition includes an extensive array of more than 130 extraordinary artifacts from the tomb of Tutankhamun and other ancient Egyptian sites. The return of the exhibition to the United States will include a selection of artifacts that are new to the exhibit and have never before been seen outside of Egypt.

“Dallas is a perfect place for King Tut,” said Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. “I want everyone in Texas to know that the boy king is coming to town, and I personally invite everyone to see this great exhibition so that a new generation of people will experience the history and magic of the boy king.”

Proceeds generated from the world tour are being used to help preserve Egypt’s treasures, including the construction of a new museum in Cairo where antiquities will be housed.

When the Tutankhamun exhibition opens at the Dallas Museum of Art, “Harry Burton Photographs” will be shown together with the exhibition for the first time. On view September 14, 2008, through May 17, 2009, this photography exhibit will feature more than 40 original prints from Harry Burton, the photographer who accompanied explorer Howard Carter on the now famous Tutankhamun expedition and documented the moment-by-moment discovery of King Tut’s untouched tomb.

Additionally, “Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs,” a 22-minute 3D movie adventure that follows researchers and explorers as they piece together the archaeological and genetic clues of Egyptian mummies, will be shown in the Museum’s Horchow Auditorium. Screenings will be on Tuesdays through Sundays, every hour on the hour, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets will be $5 when purchased with an exhibition ticket.

The exhibition is organized by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. Northern Trust, a global financial services firm, is the presenting sponsor of the encore tour, and American Airlines, the world’s largest airline, is the official airline of the exhibition. The Dallas engagement is presented in partnership with the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We are honored to be the first institution to host the encore tour of ‘Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,'” stated Bonnie Pitman, The Eugene McDermott Director of the Dallas Museum of Art. “The Dallas Museum of Art is one of the Southwest region’s largest art museums, and one which prides itself on presenting exhibitions of international significance. The DMA is extremely pleased to be able to share these exceptional works of ancient Egyptian art with the community we serve and to further reinforce the Dallas Arts District as an important destination for visitors seeking the best in cultural experiences.”

“Egypt’s ancient treasures are among the world’s greatest cultural legacies, and we’re delighted that we are able to bring this exhibition back to the U.S. so that more people will have an opportunity to view some of the most important artifacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb and other ancient Egyptian sites,” said Terry Garcia, National Geographic’s executive vice president for mission programs.

Support from presenting sponsor Northern Trust is helping make the exhibition’s return possible.

“For nearly 120 years, Northern Trust has supported numerous local charities and events, cultural initiatives and educational endeavors,” said Frederick H. Waddell, president and chief executive officer, Northern Trust Corporation. “Through our sponsorships, we strive to increase social interaction and a sense of community, and integrate the arts into education and other outreach activities. We are proud to be the presenting sponsor of this exhibition and look forward to sharing this extraordinary event with the Dallas community as well as visitors from around the world.”

American Airlines is the official airline of the exhibition.

“American Airlines is thrilled to have a role in bringing an exhibition of this magnitude to the Dallas Museum of Art,” said Dan Garton, executive vice president of marketing for American Airlines. “We realize that access to global transportation was important in the decision to bring this exhibit to Dallas, and it is exciting to know that American Airlines is helping to make it possible for this remarkable exhibit to be seen by thousands of visitors.”

Since opening in June 2005, “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” has drawn nearly 4 million visitors, setting records in each city it has visited, including Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago and Philadelphia. With nearly 1.3 million visitors at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, the exhibition became the most popular museum exhibition in the state’s history.

“The previous King Tut tour in the 1970s was a major cultural phenomenon and, to some extent, coined the term ‘blockbuster,'” said John Norman, president of Arts and Exhibitions International. “The huge response to ‘Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs’ proved that the public is still embracing the legacy of the boy king. We are thrilled that now, even more Americans will have the opportunity to learn firsthand about this important period in world history.”

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Running October 3, 2008, through May 17, 2009, at the Dallas Museum of Art, “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” provides insight into the life of Tutankhamun and other royals of the 18th Dynasty (1555 B.C. – 1305 B.C.). All of the treasures in the exhibition are between 3,300 and 3,500 years old.

Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty and ruled during a crucial, turmoil-filled period of Egyptian history. The boy king died under mysterious circumstances around age 18 or 19, in the ninth year of his reign (1323 B.C.).

“Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” offers glimpses of that evolving period. On display will be 50 of Tutankhamun’s burial objects, including his royal diadem — the gold crown discovered encircling the head of his mummified body that he likely wore as king — and one of the gold and precious stone inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained his mummified internal organs.

More than 70 additional objects from tombs of 18th Dynasty royals, as well as several non-royal individuals, also will be exhibited. These stone, faience and wooden pieces from burial sites before Tut’s reign will give visitors a sense of what the lost burials of other royalty and commoners may have been like.

In addition to the partnership with the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau, the DMA’s presentation of this exhibition is supported locally by Kroger and DART.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets to the exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art can be purchased now at http://www.Ticketmaster.com. Group tickets for 10 or more are available at 214-922-1222 or [email protected]. For additional information about tickets and pricing, please call 1-877-TUT-TKTS or visit http://www.Ticketmaster.com or http://www.DallasMuseumofArt.org/TUT.

An audio tour is available for purchase. A $3 discount on exhibition tickets will be available for Kroger Plus cardholders throughout the exhibition’s run. See stores for details.

Hotel packages, including VIP tickets for anytime access that are not available to the general public, are being offered at 11 local hotels, including the Adolphus Hotel; The Fairmont Hotel; Hampton Inn Dallas North; Hilton Anatole Hotel; Hyatt Regency Dallas; Renaissance Dallas Hotel; Sheraton Dallas Hotel; The Ritz-Carlton Dallas; The Westin City Center, Dallas; The Westin Galleria, Dallas; and the W Dallas – Victory. More information is available at http://www.DallasMuseumofArt.org/TUT.

ABOUT THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART

The 23,000 works of art in the Museum’s encyclopedic collections span 5,000 years of history and represent all media with renowned strengths in the arts of the ancient Americas, Africa, Indonesia and South Asia; European and American painting, sculpture and decorative arts; and American and international contemporary art.

The Dallas Museum of Art is the anchor of the Dallas Arts District and serves as the cultural magnet for the city with diverse programming ranging from exhibitions and lectures to concerts, literary readings, dramatic and dance presentations, and a full spectrum of programs designed to engage people of all ages with the power and excitement of art.

The Dallas Museum of Art is supported in part by the generosity of Museum members and donors and by the citizens of Dallas through the City of Dallas/Office of Cultural Affairs and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

CONTACTS: Jill Bernstein, Dallas Museum of Art Erin Barrier, GolinHarris 214-922-1802 213-623-4200 ext. 707 [email protected] [email protected]

AEG
CONTACT: Jill Bernstein of Dallas Museum of Art, +1-214-922-1802,
[email protected]; or Erin Barrier, GolinHarris,
+1-213-623-4200, ext. 707, [email protected], for AEG

Web site: http://www.DallasMuseumofArt.org/
http://www.Ticketmaster.com/

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