King Tut Exhibit Could Prove to Be Gold Mine (Coming to the USA in 2005 for 27 month/4 city tour)

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 12/3/04 | Jill Serjeant - Reuters

[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."

[NormsRevenge]

Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities and director of the Giza Saqqara Pyramids, announces Dec. 1, 2004 that more than 130 treasures of Tutankhamun (King Tut), other Valley of the Kings tombs and ancient sites will return to the United States on a 27-month tour beginning in Los Angeles on June 16, 2005. The exhibition will include 50 major objects excavated from Tutankhamun's tomb, including his royal diade, the gold crown he likely wore while living between 3,300-3,500 years ago. (Reuters - Handout)

[what's up]

AEI is joined by Anschutz Entertainment Group

How to invest?

[tiamat]

Oooooh!

i got to see the 1970's tut exhibit.

VERY cool.

I'll have to try to catch this!

[Clemenza]

Could've won a Grammy...

[NormsRevenge]

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs will appear at the following venues:

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, June 16 to November 15, 2005

Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, December 2005

Chicago Field Museum, May 2006

I'm looking for the 4th..

http://www.kingtut.org/

[NormsRevenge]

I caught the King Tut in the Cairo Museum in the late 80s,, missed it when it was here in the 70s.

[NormsRevenge]

[Buck W.]

Buried in his jammies...

[Esther Ruth]

http://www.fieldmuseum.org/museum_info/press/press_tut.htm
Chicago's Field Museum

My son's all excited about it. Hope it is less than $30 a person.

[My2Cents]

...he gave his life for tourism...

[tiamat]

It was very cool.

I'm going to try to catch this when it comes to Chicago.

thanks for the head's up!

:-)

[reagan_fanatic]

Born in Babylonia, moved to Arizona...

[NormsRevenge]

That is a great museum.. I enjoyed my visit their immensely.

A Gold Pass or yearly family ticket may be the way to go on this one.

[Orange1998]

The 4th has to be New York given the first three locations. I would have liked the fourth to be Houston or Dallas.

[eyespysomething]

Somewhere in the south would have been nice. Of course, they probably thought us Christian hick red-staters wouldn't support it.

[NormsRevenge]

I suspect New York as well.

But they should really consider doing Branson or Atlanta

[My2Cents]

Isn't it a tad pathetic what our brains can conjure up? LOL

[Constitution Day]

Anschutz Entertainment Group

I'm pretty sure that's owned by the (conservative) Philip Anschutz.

He's a billionaire who founded Qwest Communications and is a Christian.

[Chani]

Is it swingin' by Dallas?

[what's up]

Thanks for the info. I would love to invest but it looks like it's not publicly traded...

[RosieCotton]

Lordy...now I'm gonna have that song in my head for the next zillion years...

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks..

FRom Yahoo

http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/40/40035.html

This movie mogul doesn't live in Hollywood. Indulging in a little "vulture" investing through The Anschutz Company (founded in 1958), Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz owns 78% of Regal Entertainment Group, which in turn controls theater chains United Artists Theatre Company, Regal Cinemas, and Edwards Theatres. The firm recently branched out into publishing, purchasing The San Francisco Examiner. Other holdings include the Los Angeles' Staples Center and a few of that city's sports franchises. Anschutz made his first fortune from oil on his Utah/Wyoming ranch; his black gold holdings include Forest Oil and Anschutz Exploration. He is also chairman and majority owner of Qwest Communications.

[Constitution Day]

You're welcome.
The only reason I knew his name so quickly was that I read an article in National Review tonight that mentioned him.

You don't see the surname 'Anschutz' every day. ;^)

That having been said, I would LOVE to see this exhibition!

I was a kid when this came to the US the last time.
I still remember how jealous I was that my aunt and uncle got to see it.

[eastforker]

I visited the exhibit in the 70's, well worth every penny.

[yooper]

"Tickets for the an adult range from $15 to $30 dollars on the first stop at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art."

No way am I gonna pay thirty bucks to get cursed. Also, seems to me that I saw at least SOME of this stuff in the Field Museum, and it wasn't more than 20 years ago.

[TXnMA]

Saw it in Seattle, while on a business trip. Made my year!

(Fell in love with the little ~18" tall statue of the goddess Selket...)

[NormsRevenge]

It was much cheaper in Cairo and the lines were a lot shorter. :-)

[eastforker]

Caught mine in New Orleans. Can understand being cheaper in Cairo, like buying boots in Texas.

[NormsRevenge]

Selket, The Goddess of Magic

[eastforker]

Don't be to sure, right now it's west, east north and the reasonable 4th should be the south, come on Houston.

[oldfart]

Thirty bucks a ticket? I saw the first exhibit and $30 is a steal for a bigger show. I'd stand in line to pay $50.

[TXnMA]

Thank you!

The statue is even more charming up close and "in the round" -- and in the subdued, modeled lighting of the display room.

[SamAdams76]

Perhaps this latest exhibit of the "Boy King" will inspire another hit novelty song.

[TXnMA]

Not quite as starkly lighted as this:

But more like this:

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo has more Tutankhamun stuff in storage than they have on display at any given time. I was there in '84 and that 10 day trip was an unforgetable experience. In addition to visiting Tut's treasures in the museum, we visited Tut in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. I recommend the touring exhibit to you!

[Orange1998]

If it comes to Houston the tickets (2) are on me.

[NormsRevenge]

I wish I'd had the time to visit the Valley, , at least I was able to ride a camel and enter the Pyramid at Giza.. maybe someday we'll do a Nile cruise and visit the temple cities as well.

[TXnMA]

#34 was intended for you...

[Triggerhippie]

Somewhere in the south would have been nice. Of course, they probably thought us Christian hick red-staters wouldn't support it.


Dude, they hooked us up. Ft. Lauderdale in December is quite tolerable. I just hope the lines aren't as bad as they were in New Orleans when I saw the exhibit as a kid.


See... VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs will appear at the following venues:

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, June 16 to November 15, 2005

Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, December 2005

Chicago Field Museum, May 2006

I'm looking for the 4th..

[Paleo Conservative]

[NormsRevenge]

"King Tut" Treasure to Return to U.S. in 2005

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1201_041201_king_tut.html

[Doofer]

I saw it at the Field Museum the last time it was in the States. Hard to believe it's been 30 years or so.

[kayak]

bttt

[Don W]

If tickets were $100 each, I'd be standing in line. I saw the Tut exhibit in Seattle last time it was on the continent, and am still in awe of the detail and craftsmanship of the pieces.

LA is a bit far for me tgo go though. Dang, I'd love to see that incredible artwork again.

[kmiller1k]

It was incredible--I saw it in LA and SF back in the '70's. I hope I am able to see it again, this time with my own children.

[asgardshill]

Ping.

Our friend's back in town.

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks for the ping. Definitly something to look forward to.

Prairie

[Jimmy Valentine]

Saw this in Washington, D.C. the first time through. This is a "must see" you may believe.

Regards,

[Tealc]

I am told all advanced technology has been sent to Stargate Command. Doctor Rothman is now studying it. :)

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

I would highly recomend the Nile cruise. Take time, when you do go, to spend a day or two in Aswan, visit the dam, sail in a falupa on the Nile. Also visit Memphis and the step pyramid and others there.

I did the camel thing too between a couple of the pyramids, and climbed into the "heart and sole" of the Great Pyramid, to the geometric center - Pyramid Power! Feel it! :)

Our hotel overlooked the pyramids at Giza. And if the haze lessened a bit we could see the pyramids at Memphis, all from the balcony of our room.

Remember, the Great Pyramid and the Spinx at Giza pre-date the flood. There is evidence on both. The original head of the Spinx was not a pharoh's head, but the head of a lion - Leo all the way originally. By the way, the beard of the Spinx in in the British Museum - delivered there with so many other of the ancient world's artifacts by the "Thieves of the World" (a.k.a. the British).