Posted on 12/03/2004 7:41:03 PM PST by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The gilded treasures of King Tutankhamun are on their way back to the United States in what could prove a gold rush for Egypt and big business.
"Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" starts a 27-month tour of the United States in June 2005 that will mark the first return here in more than two decades of the precious artifacts buried with the mysterious boy king.
The exhibit is twice the size of the late-1970s King Tut global tour which launched an era of "blockbuster" museum exhibitions. This year's version will charge up to $30 per ticket and give corporate backers a share in the profits, heralding a new trend in partnerships between private companies, museums and the antiquities' home countries.
"It is a new business model. It seems like a lot of museums have trouble financially in organizing major exhibits. The costs are getting really exorbitant," said John Norman, president of Arts and Exhibitions International, one of the companies providing the funding.
AEI is joined by Anschutz Entertainment Group, which operates sports stadiums, promotes pop concerts and theatrical productions, and National Geographic (news - web sites) magazine.
The three entities will finance the entire costs of shipping, designing, installing and marketing the King Tut exhibit, and share profits with participating museums and Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.
The concept is a major departure from the more philanthropic business sponsorship of the arts that gave new life to orchestras, theaters and art galleries in the late 20th century.
Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said he hoped Egypt would clear about $10 million in each of the four U.S. cities hosting the exhibit.
Hawass said the money will go toward building a new Grand Museum in Cairo as well as preserving other ancient Egyptian monuments such as the Pyramids and the Sphinx.
Tutankhamun ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago from the age of eight until his death as a teenager. His tomb, packed with golden treasures, was discovered in Luxor's Valley of the Kings in 1922 by British archeologist Howard Carter.
Organizers expect that up to three million people will visit the coming U.S. exhibit, which is commanding some of the highest ticket prices ever seen. Tickets for the an adult range from $15 to $30 dollars on the first stop at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Organizers defended the price, comparing it to the cost of a movie and dinner, or a ticket to the theater or a pop concert.
"Where can you go as an adult for $30 and see ancient Egyptian artifacts that are valued at over $650 million?," said Norman. "It is unfortunate that museums can't be free anymore, but those are the economics."
http://www.kingtut.org/venues.htm
The following are the only North American venues for the tour:
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-857-6000 (general information)
323-857-0098 (TDD)
MAP
June 16, 2005 - November 15, 2005
Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale
One East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale,
FL 33301
Tel: (954) 525-5500
December 15, 2005 - April 23, 2006
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2496
(312) 922-9410
May 26, 2006 - January 01, 2007
The Franklin Institute
222 North 20th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215.448.1200
February 3, 2007 - September 30, 2007
It's coming to Florida. :')
I see, to Ft. Lauderdale. That's just over 200 miles from Orlando. Thanks.
I'll have to take a day off from work, at least. Remember when I went to the Tampa Bay area to see David Rohl last year? The folks at the New Chronology group finally finished working on the DVD of that seminar last month, and my copy arrived in the mail on Saturday.
Made of stona
Funky Tut!
I could say the same about health care...
At the Franklin, in Philly.
I saw the 70's exhibit at the Field Museum in Chcago, very cool, now I get to go again and bring my daughter!
I saw the 70's exhibit in NYC with my mom!!!
anschutz is an interesting person.
started in kansas. railroads. laid fiber optics along the tracks. started qwest. bought out u.s. west. bought out movie theaters.
then he did predictably what every denver billionaire does--went to los angeles.
No way, the Franklin Institute! Thanks.
He ought to be compelled to.
Almost 2 years to wait, but it's coming to Philly! YES!!!
Good work. Maybe the author could have included the cities and maybe even thrown in the dates? Sheesh! ;-) Ft Lauderdale's not too far ...
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