‘Golden boy’ appeals to crowds after 30 years

NEW YORK CITY—Nearly a month after his return to New York City, King Tut is still attracting crowds. Hundreds of people a day pour into the Discovery Times Square Exposition to see "King Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs." The New York showing, which began April 23, 2010 and ends January 2, 2011, is the first of its kind to visit the city in over 30 years.

   
"More than 5,000 beautifully preserved artifacts were found in Tutankhamun's tomb, and the 50 selected for this exhibition—along with more than 80 from other royal tombs—are among the most breathtaking objects of ancient Egypt," said exhibition curator David Silverman in a press release last November. "In addition to these stunning relics, our partnership with National
Geographic allows us to explore in depth and put into context the mystery of Tutankhamun's death using the marvels of modern CT scanning technology."
   
Silverman said the artifacts, from cosmetic containers to works of art, show what life was like for the young pharaoh and the people of Egypt.
   
"They're such an influential society," said Kyle Smith, guest relations employee at Discovery Times Square. "Everything we see now has some sort of foothold in ancient Egypt."
   
Smith has a theory as to why it has taken so long for the exhibit to return to the city, the final stop on its U.S. tour.
   
"It has a lot to do with Egyptian government and giving very limited access to the artifacts because they are so delicate," he said. In addition, he said the exhibit would be featuring a chariot, one of the largest artifacts yet to be housed by the museum and will be delivered next week.

   
Tutankhamun, who some call "the golden boy," was one of the last rulers of Egypt's 18th Dynasty before his mysterious death at age 19. The treasures featured in the exhibit are between 3,300 and 3,500 years old and are from Tutankhamun's tomb, as well as from burial sites of other royal and non-royal individuals from that time period.

   
Some people visiting the exhibit believe it's an important opportunity.

   
"The more we know about the world—past and present—the better off we are, I think," said one woman who seen it.

   
Others are seeing the U.S. exhibit for the very first time.

   
"I've been to the Valley of the Kings," said a man visiting from Florida. "I wanted to see a tour and see how it was different from what I seen."

   
According to the press release, National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, organize the exhibit. A share of its proceeds will go to helping fund antiquities and conservations efforts in Egypt, including a new Grand Museum in Cairo that will provide a world-class home for the country's treasured artifacts.

   
For more information about "King Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," visit www.discoverytsx.com or www.kingtut.org.