Opening of Tutankhamun exhibit in Denver
I returned this week from opening the exhibit: Tutankhamun the Golden King and the Great Pharaohs at the Denver Art Museum in Colorado. This exhibition contains fifty pieces from Tutankhamun’s tomb, including a pair of his golden sandals and a canopic jar. In addition to items from king Tut’s tomb, objects from some of Egypt’s greatest rulers are on display.
This is a beautiful exhibit and I think the artifacts that are shown are better than those in the other Tutankhamun exhibit: Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs. I went to open the exhibit in Denver because the CEO of AEG, Philip Anschutz, invited me to come to his home city. AEG is an exhibit sponsor of both Tutankhamun exhibits and Mr. Anschutz is a personal friend of mine. He came to Egypt a few years ago and I gave him the best tour of Egypt. I took him to see the pyramids and I held a great dinner for him in Mohamed Ali palace. In addition to numerous interviews and media appearances, I gave a short guest lecture at a private reception at the Denver Art Museum. About 500 people attended. I talked about my recent discoveries about the family of King Tut and the efforts of the Egyptian Mummy Project (EMP). The EMP is using DNA and CT scan testing to study the mummies in the Egyptian Museum to determine their cause of death and their family relationships.
On my last day, was the opening reception and lecture at the museum. When I started my speech I told a story that happened when I brought the Ramesses II exhibit to Denver in 1983-84. During the set up of the exhibit, several of my friends and I went out to lunch at a restaurant outside of Denver. While we were eating a man came up to me with scissors and cut off my tie. He put my tie on the wall and asked me to sign my name on it. After more than 20 years the tie is still there on the wall in this restaurant! Everyone in the audience enjoyed this story and two of my friends who had been there at that lunch presented me with replacement ties after the lecture. Everyone seemed to enjoy my lecture and I mainly focused on the work that my team and I have been doing in the tomb of Seti I.
I had a very nice time in Denver and I hope that those of you who are able will go to see the King Tutankhamun exhibit at the Denver Art Museum.
Further information:
Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs
Further information:
Press Release - The Discovery of the Family Secrets of King Tutankhamun Location
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