King Tut Opens at the de Young Museum on Saturday
Unless you've been living under a rock or in a remote cabin in the Sierras for the last year or so, you know that the big King Tut exhibition, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, opens at the de Young Museum in San Francisco this Saturday, June 27. The exhibition will be there through March 28 of next year.
The last King Tut exhibition that rolled through the Bay Area back in 1979, back when many of us were small children, and certainly there are many of us who are looking forward to taking our children to see these treasures this time. This exhibition is bigger, and concentrates a little more on the history of ancient Egypt around the time of Tut, with artifacts from the tombs of his ancestors and members of his royal court, as well as 50 objects from Tutankhamun's tomb itself. What isn't in the show is the famous solid gold mummy mask that was the hit of 1979's Treasures of Tutankhamun; you're going to have to fly the family out to Cairo to see that, as the Egyptian government won't let it travel anymore for safety reasons.
A not-so-secret inside source who's seen the installed exhibition reports that it's really amazing, so we're looking forward to going (we even have our tickets already). Our 6-year-old is completely obsessed with all things Tut, and has probably brought home every book about ancient Egypt in his school library. He's now a fan of Egyptian antiquities boss Zahi Hawass, too, especially after watching the King Tut documentary on Channel 7 this past Saturday.
Tickets aren't cheap, but then again they're comparable to tickets to a Giants game and less than most symphony tickets, so it's not too bad for what for most people will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's certainly cheaper than those aforementioned plane tickets to Cairo. Prices are: adults $27.50 (Monday–Thursday) and $32.50 (Friday–Sunday), youth 6–17 $16.50 (all days), and children 5 and under free. Admission includes entry to the rest of the museum, too.
For more information on King Tut, and to order tickets, visit the de Young's special Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs website. You can also preview some of the artifacts in the exhibition and send a King Tut e-card.
The de Young Museum is located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park at 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. Fore more information call (415) 750-3600 or visit www.deyoungmuseum.org.
Images:
- Tutankhamun as King of Upper Egypt (left), Tutankhamun as King of Lower Egypt (right). Dynasty 18, reign of Tutankhamun (1332–1322 BC). Gilded wood. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Carter 296b and 275b. Photo: Kenneth Garrett © 2008, National Geographic
- Entrance to the de Young during Treasures of Tutankhamun in 1979.
- Inlaid Diadem with Vulture and Cobra Uraeus. Dynasty 18, reign of Tutankhamun (1332–1322 BC). Gold, glass, obsidian, carnelian. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Carter 256, 4, q. Photo: Andreas F. Voegelin, Antikenmuseum Basel and Sammlung Ludwig
