- Over 120,000 Group Tickets Already Reserved for Exhibition to be Hosted
at The O2
- Special Gallery to pay Tribute to British Discoverer of the Tomb,
Howard Carter
Marking the first time the treasures of Tutankhamun have visited Britain
in more than 30 years, it was today announced that National Geographic, AEG
Exhibitions and Arts and Exhibitions International, with cooperation from
the
Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and sponsored by Credit Suisse, will
bring an extensive exhibition of more than 130 treasures from the tomb of
the
celebrated pharaoh, other Valley of the Kings tombs and additional ancient
sites to The O2 in London on November 15, 2007.
(Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070312/248146-a )
(Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070312/248146-b )
"Since the discovery of his tomb in 1922, Tutankhamun has captured the
hearts of people around the world. Buried with him were treasures beyond the
imagination, giving us a glittering glimpse into the past," said Zahi
Hawass,
secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. "It has been
more than 30 years since the golden artefacts of the boy-king last left
their
home in Egypt. Now, Tutankhamun is back, giving a new generation the chance
to learn first hand about the life and magic of this ancient monarch."
The exhibition will include 50 major objects excavated from Tutankhamun's
tomb, 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 and precious stone inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained his
mummified internal organs.
Currently, the exhibition which is touring four major US cities, has been
enjoyed by over 3 million people, setting records in each host city. Unique
to the London-based exhibition will be a dedicated gallery to Howard Carter,
the British archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb. The Howard
Carter gallery will explore the excavation works and will provide insights
into the life of Carter whose tenacity led to the eventual discovery of the
best preserved and most intact pharaonic tomb ever found in the Valley of
the
Kings.
More than 70 objects from other royal graves of the 18th Dynasty (1555
B.C.-1305 B.C.) will be showcased as well, including those of pharaohs
Amenhotep ll and Thutmose lV and the rich, intact tomb of Yuya and Tuyu,
parents-in-law of Amenhotep lll and great-grandparents of Tutankhamun. Yuya
and Tuyu's tomb was the most celebrated historical find in the Valley of the
Kings until Carter discovered Tutankhamun's undisturbed burial chamber in
1922. All of the treasures in the exhibit are between 3,300 and 3,500 years
old.
"Egypt's ancient treasures are among the world's greatest cultural
legacies, and we're delighted that British audiences will have an
opportunity
to view some of the most important artefacts from Tutankhamun's tomb and
other famous sites," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice
president. "The exhibit, which builds on National Geographic's long and
valued relationship with Egypt, will further promote cultural understanding
and conservation of Egypt's priceless antiquities." Revenue generated from
the world tour will go toward preserving Egypt's treasures and building a
new
Grand Museum in Cairo.
The exhibition will draw visitors back in time with inventive design and
innovative technology, allowing viewers to explore and experience the world
of King Tutankhamun. They will come face to face with his contemporaries,
see
and hear about the fascinating times in which the young king lived and learn
how his short reign changed history. The exhibition will also feature
National Geographic images and film footage about the golden age of the
pharaohs and three-dimensional CT scan images of Tutankhamun, captured
through the use of a portable CT scanner, donated by Siemens Medical
Solutions. The scanning of Tutankhamun's mummy is part of a landmark,
Egyptian research and conservation project, partially funded by National
Geographic, that will CT-scan the ancient mummies of Egypt.
Some of the treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb were last displayed in the
UK in 1972 and attracted some 1.7 million visitors and set travelling
exhibition attendance records. The British Museum hosted the previous
Tutankhamun exhibition and will once again participate in the new display.
"We are thrilled at Tutankhamun's return to London and look forward to
assisting the exhibition, providing educational content and curatorial
advice," said Vivian Davies, Keeper of the Department of Ancient Egypt and
Sudan British Museum.
Tutankhamun will be the first exhibition to take place in The O2,
Europe's newest and most advanced entertainment destination, which is due to
open its doors in July 2007. The exhibition centre, called The O2 Bubble in
reference to its unique shape, is arranged on two levels, covering over 6500
m2.
"We are honoured to work with such a prestigious team of partners
including National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International to
bring
this important exhibit to Britain," said Timothy J. Leiweke, President and
CEO of AEG. "Millions will have the opportunity to view into the reaches of
the past and be impacted by the rich culture and history the artefacts
represent."
Michael Philipp, Chairman of Credit Suisse in the EMEA region said, "We
are proud to be part of this important exhibition. We look forward to
sharing
this unique cultural event with our employees, clients and the local
community." Credit Suisse is the presenting sponsor of the exhibition and a
Founding Partner of The O2.
Visit London is also lending significant support to the exhibition to
ensure that tourists from throughout Europe and the world have the
opportunity to see Tutankhamun in London. "We are delighted to welcome
Tutankhamun back to London. This awe-inspiring exhibition will undoubtedly
draw hundreds of thousands of people to London to experience the wonders of
ancient Egyptian culture, against the state-of-the-art backdrop of The O2.
It's another reason why the opening of The O2 will be one of the most
exciting events of the year," said James Bidwell, Chief Executive, Visit
London.
National Geographic will publish a companion book to the exhibit -
"Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" by Zahi Hawass which
features the artefacts found in Tutankhamun's tomb and treasures of other
18th-Dynasty pharaohs.
For more information on the exhibition, please visit
www.visitlondon.com/tut or www.KingTut.org.
TICKET INFORMATION
GROUP TICKETS
Group tickets for groups of ten or more are now available. To book group
tickets, visit kingtut.org or www.visitlondon.com/tut
HOTEL PACKAGES
Hotel packages are now available through Hilton Hotels and Premier Travel
Inn, official hotel partners of the exhibition.
For Hilton hotel packages, which include VIP exhibition tickets, visit
Hilton.co.uk
For Premier Travel Inn hotel packages, visit premiertravelinn.com
SINGLE TICKETS
Single ticket reservations are also now available and will go on sale in
September 2007. For tickets and information, visit www.visitlondon.com/tut
or
www.kingtut.org
Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070312/248146-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070312/248146-b
Arts and Exhibitions International
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