Fort Lauderdale

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Museum of Art

More Photos
hellotmf
hellotmf
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
1
Photo
Editor Pick

Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs

  • February 22, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by hellotmf from Hollywood, Florida
Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs

For the first time in 26 years, ancient Egyptian artifacts have been borrowed from the Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and are on display in the United States. The “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” exhibit, sponsored by National Geographic, is scheduled to tour in four different locations throughout the US. (See below for details on locations.)

The exhibit contains over 130 artifacts and begins with a historical overview dating back to the ancestors of King Tut in the times of the 18th dynasty, in particular the ruling of Akhenaten, the probable father of King Tut, who revolutionized Egypt at the time by changing the country’s religion from polytheistic to monotheistic. There was a big revolt, and when King Tut later took over the throne, he restored the original polytheistic Egyptian religion. He has gained world fascination ever since.

While the exhibit was fascinating and I was very glad that I went, there are a couple of things visitors should be aware of prior to going. First, the advertising of the exhibit is a bit misleading, because the picture on the ad may lead you to believe that the actual sarcophagus of the boy king is going to be on display. It is not. The famous tomb of King Tut lies on the West Bank of Luxor in Egypt in the Valley of Kings, and it has been speculated that this artifact will never leave Egypt. The exhibit does have a beautiful sarcophagus, but it is one belonging to an in-law of the king.

Second, admission to the exhibit is a hefty $30, plus another $7 for the audio tour, not including tax and Ticketmaster convenience charges. While this may seem steep to go to a museum, I imagine that transport of such precious and hefty artifacts is in itself quite expensive, and since an exhibit like this only happens approximately once every 30 years, it is well worth the money. Also note that no photography is allowed.

Lack of photographic opportunities aside, the exhibit was wonderfully informative and the artifacts are awe-inspiring. This exhibit gives the “armchair traveler” an opportunity to see the remnants of the pharaohs up close and personal without the long flight to Luxor.

_______________________________________________

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

When to go:

The show dates and locations include:

Ft. Lauderdale: Museum of Art--December 15, 2005–April 23, 2006
Chicago: The Field Museum--May 26, 2006–January 1, 2007
Philadelphia: The Franklin Institute--February 3, 2007–September 30, 2007

The exhibit will also move offshore to London at the O2 in November 2007.

This schedule has been changed in the past few months, so prior to making plans, be sure to check the following website on National Geographic for any updates: http://www.kingtut.org/tickets.htm

Getting Tickets:

You can purchase tickets through the above website, which connects to the TicketMaster website, or call your local TicketMaster.

Time to spend:

Walking through the entire exhibit takes about an hour and a half.

From journal One-Time or Annual Events

Compare Fort Lauderdale Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Fort Lauderdale Travel Deals