King Tut, so what?

NEW YORK CITY--The King Tutankhamun Exhibit, with more than 120 original artifacts from King Tut's tomb, has made its way to the Discovery Times Square Exposition with a steady flow of visitors.


After 3,400 years people are still intrigued to learn about the Boy King. Mothers, fathers, grandparents and children alike have been waltzing into the museum to learn and uncover the mystery of King Tut and his mysterious death.

"The exhibit includes art from Egypt that is over 3,000 years old," said a vacationing couple from Florida that just finished their tour of the museum.


The exhibit showcases items that are cracked, damaged, and a bit ruined including everyday items like pots, jewelry, and chairs.

So why are we still intrigued by something that happened thousands of years ago?

"How this civilization was shaped really impacted many civilizations to come, including ours," said Kyle Smith, a guest relations worker at the exposition. 

King Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. Tut was nine years old when he took reign. Tut rejected the radical religious innovations that were introduced by his father. He believed that he was a god and wanted people to treat him as one. Signs revealed throughout the exhibit.


Walking into the museum is like walking into King Tuts' bedroom. It's easy to envision the Boy King pacing back and forth pondering his kingdom. In the dark rooms are air-tight, air conditioned display cases that show off King Tuts' personal items including his jewelry, board games, head dress, and dresser. These artifacts are what have given us insight into a culture that we know little about.

Before entering into the last gallery is a wall with script that reads, "The tomb represents the hopes and beliefs and aspirations of an Egyptian King who died more than 3,000 years ago. By the discovery of his hidden tomb it has caused the name Tut to live once again, granting the young king the eternal life he so desired."


Another guest relations worker commented noted, "This art that is featured was not made to be about personal advancement, but about making it perfect for God and divinity."

Towards the end of the museum is a replica of King Tut's body with a video describing and retelling when the researchers in Cairo, Egypt, extracted DNA out of King Tut after doing a CT scan. The DNA sample revealed that Tut had Malaria at the time he died.

King Tut has become a history lesson for the young, to learn about a civilization that worked together, that created art not for themselves but for their king that died unexpectedly. A civilization that went on to inspire the Romans and the Greeks, and a society that when they needed a 19 year old to become King he stepped up, took responsibility and became the most unforgettable pharaoh.

Outside the museum a teacher was waiting for her students to arrive on the bus to get into the museum, "You don't want kids to just learn about modern history, you want them to learn about ancient history, and how the world evolved."