One of the world’s most fascinating and historical cultural exhibits – King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh – returns to Boston for the first time since 1963. The largest collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures ever to travel out of Egypt, KING TUT opens at The Saunders Castle at Park Plaza in Boston for a limited engagement beginning June 13, 2020.
The announcement was made on Boston City Hall Plaza by local officials, tourism leaders and cultural organizations, along with local schoolchildren from Boston and Weymouth.
The exhibit is produced by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and IMG. The Museum of Science, Boston serves as the official museum partner for the engagement. It features 150+ original artifacts from King Tut’s tomb, 60 of which have never been outside of Egypt, where they are part of the full permanent collection at the new Grand Egyptian Museum.
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh called the exhibit “one of the most interesting and exciting in the world, and I’m proud that Boston will be the only Northeast city to host this collection. This is a wonderful opportunity for people from all across the region to see history first-hand, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from across the country to experience the King Tut collection.”
Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism Executive Director Keiko Orrall called the exhibition “one of the biggest cultural attractions in the world. We expect Massachusetts residents and visitors alike to flock by the hundreds of thousands to see this important and historic collection in its only Northeast showing, in turn bringing tremendous economic impact to our state.”
Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO Martha Sheridan said “Boston is thrilled to welcome KING TUT: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh in 2020, an exciting year for the city as we host many iconic events and exhibitions….We are excited to promote this unique installation as yet another compelling reason to visit Boston in 2020.”
King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh explores the meaning of the items in the royal tomb and the dual storyline of its discovery against all odds, according to organizers. The pharaohs who succeeded King Tut nearly managed to erase him from history. Had British archaeologist Howard Carter not persisted in his quest, the boy king’s legacy and treasures could have been forever lost to the sands of Egypt.
The ancient Egyptians believed death was also a rebirth. Through nine immersive galleries that incorporate digital content, contextual material, audio and custom soundscapes, visitors can follow King Tut’s passage into everlasting life. As they explore his life, visitors become part of perpetuating the Pharaoh’s immortality: to speak his name is to make him live.
IMG Managing Director of Exhibitions John Norman said, “There are very few stories – before or since – that captivate the public in the way that King Tut’s does. To see these objects in person is to have a window into another age where magic and mystery reigned. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
FedEx, the tour’s official logistics provider, will utilize its global network to transport the artifacts to Boston, the only Northeast U.S. stop on the exhibition’s 10-city world tour following residences in Los Angeles, Paris and London.
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TICKETS & INFORMATION
Due to anticipated sellouts as seen in prior cities, a ticket lottery granting early access to tickets launched today at www.kingtutexhibition.com. Registration is free, and all registrants will have an opportunity to secure tickets on a lottery basis ahead of the general public in early 2020.
Museum of Science, Boston members will receive member exclusives including advance access to tickets, with details at mos.org/tut. Tickets for groups of 10 or more are on sale now at 833-4TUTTIX (833-488-8849).