Tutankhamun And The Golden Age Of The Pharaohs

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs - Melbourne Winter Masterpieces

An Exhibition from National Geographic

The king of Exhibitions to Melbourne in 2011

Pre-registration opens today - Avoid the queues!

MELBOURNE, Saturday 30 October, 2010 Today it was announced that the blockbuster exhibition Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs will open at Melbourne Museum on 8 April 2011. The exhibition, which has drawn over seven million visitors in the United States and Europe in the past five years, marks the first visit of King Tutankhamun's treasures to Australia. Melbourne will be the exhibition's one and only stop in Australia. Pre-registration for tickets commences today at kingtutmelbourne.com.au registrants will have an early opportunity to purchase tickets to reserve their preferred time and date.

Visa cardholders, through Visa Entertainment, will be able to purchase
tickets before they go on sale to the general public.

"I am delighted to welcome Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the
Pharaohs to Melbourne as part of the highly successful Melbourne Winter
Masterpieces series," said Premier John Brumby.

"Tutankhamun is a true blockbuster exhibition and once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity for Victorians and visitors to our state to see some of the
world's most precious treasures.

"This exhibition will further reinforce Melbourne's reputation as Australia's
culture capital and a fantastic destination for visitors seeking the best
cultural experiences."

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs is a National
Geographic exhibition that explores the figures who guided ancient
Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. Continued

The exhibition focuses on the 18th Dynasty, a 250-year period when Egypt was at the height of its power and the "Golden Age" of Egyptian artistry. This was the era when Tutankhamun and his ancestors reigned. The extensive array of more than 130 extraordinary artefacts from the tomb of Tutankhamun and other ancient Egyptian sites offers a glimpse into an incredible period in history. The latest research on Tutankhamun's death is also presented. The artefacts on display are so highly cherished they rarely leave Egypt.

The exhibition is organised by the National Geographic Society, Arts and Exhibitions International and IMG, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. The Australian visit is made possible by a partnership with Victorian Major Events Company, the Victorian Government and Melbourne Museum.

"People of all ages have an enduring fascination with Tutankhamun. This exhibition gives a whole new generation the chance to experience the wonders of ancient Egypt," said Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. "I encourage people from all across Australia to come to Melbourne to discover the magic and mystery of the boy king." Terry Garcia, National Geographic Society's executive vice president for Mission Programs commented: "Egypt's ancient treasures are among the world's greatest cultural legacies. This exhibition provides a rare opportunity to view these amazing artefacts and learn more about ongoing research on the life and death of the boy king."

Proceeds generated from the world tour are being used to help conserve Egypt's ancient treasures and support the construction of the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza, where these antiquities will be housed for future generations. "Most people only have the chance to learn about Tutankhamun and his era in school books,'" said John Norman, president of Arts and Exhibitions International. "This exhibition brings people inside his world to behold some of his most precious treasures, as well as play a part in preserving them for future generations."

"It is a great privilege to be able to bring an exhibition that holds such historical significance throughout the world to Australia for the very first time. We would like to thank the Victorian Government, through the Victorian Major Events Company, Museum Victoria, Arts Victoria and Tourism Victoria for everything they have done to make this possible", said Stephen Flint Wood, Managing Director IMG Arts & Entertainment.

"Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs transports us to Ancient Egypt through the power of the more than 130 stunning objects found in his tomb and also the tombs of his close relatives", said Dr J Patrick Greene, CEO, Museum Victoria. "I am very proud that Melbourne Museum is able to follow the outstanding success of both A Day in Pompeii and Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition with this extraordinary exhibition of treasures from the Cairo Museum."

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Running from 8 April 2011 at Melbourne Museum, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs provides insight into the life of Tutankhamun and other royals of the 18th Dynasty (1555 1305 BC). The treasures in the exhibition are more than 3,000 years old.

Tutankhamun was the last king of Egypt's most powerful family of the 18th Dynasty, and ruled during a revolutionary period of Egyptian history. The boy king died under mysterious circumstances around the age of 19, having ruled for about 10 years (1333 1323 BC).

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs offers glimpses of that evolving period. More than 50 of Tutankhamun's burial objects will be on display, including his royal diadem the golden crown that Howard Carter discovered still on the head of the mummy, which Tutankhamun wore as king and one of the gold and inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained one of his mummified internal organs.

About 80 additional artefacts from temples and tombs of Tutankhamun's family and other 18th Dynasty royals, as well as possessions of several elite individuals with close connections to the royal family will also be exhibited. These stone, faience and wooden pieces from burial sites before Tutankhamun's reign will give visitors a sense of what the burials of both royalty and upper classes were like and what the Egyptians of that time considered essential for the afterlife.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Combined crated weight of the 130+ artefacts in the exhibit is approximately 6,577 kgs
The smallest item in the exhibit is a piece from a gaming board found in Tutankhamun's tomb
that is approximately the size of a thumbnail
The largest item is the gilded coffin of Tjuya (Tutankhamun's great grandmother) which is just
over seven feet long
The heaviest item is the "Statue of Thutmosis IV and his Mother Tia" weighing approximately
793.79 kgs
Most artefacts need a constant 21.11 degree temperature and 50 percent humidity at all times
with no direct sunlight or excessive artificial lighting for preservation
The musicscapes in the galleries were composed specifically for this exhibition
Egyptian officials travel with the artefacts at all times. A team from Egypt will uninstall the
artefacts from New York
Once the artefacts arrive in Melbourne, Egyptian handlers will install the artefacts at Melbourne
Museum, and officials will remain in Melbourne with the artefacts until they leave the country


BOOKINGS: PRE-REGISTRATION for tickets starts today! Pre-registration will provide an advance opportunity to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the public

TICKETS ON SALE 29 NOVEMBER 2010
Tickets will be available to purchase for the period 8 April to 17 July 2011 kingtutmelbourne.com.au or telephone Ticketek 132 849

VISA ENTERTAINMENT PRE-SALE
Visa cardholders will have access to a pre-sale and special offers through Visa Entertainment. The Visa Entertainment pre-sale for general tickets will take place from 9am (AEDT) Monday 22 November 2010 to 5pm (AEDT)
Wednesday 24 November 2010. Visa Entertainment special packages will be available from 9am (AEDT) Monday 22 November 2010 to 5pm (AEDT)
Friday 24 December 2010.
For more information go to: visaentertainment.com.au


Groups and schools bookings are available now
Tickets will be available for the period 8 April to 6 November 2011
Bookings through Ticketek on 03 9299 9030


Official Travel Packages and Corporate Hospitality Packages can be purchased from kingtutmelbourne.com.au or telephone Showbiz 1800 KING TUT


TIMES: Monday to Friday Opens 10am
Saturday & Sunday Opens 9am


PRICES: Adults from $29.50
Children from $17.50
Concessions from $26.50
Family 4 Pack (2 adults & 2 children) from $80.00


Proceeds generated from the world tour are being used to help conserve Egypt's ancient treasures and support the construction of the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza, where these antiquities will be housed for future generations to behold.

More information is available at kingtutmelbourne.com.au

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SOURCE: Tutankhamun