King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs opens to the public

TORONTO - The wait is over. More than 30 years after the Art Gallery of Ontario first brought the treasures of the Egyptian boy king to Toronto, a new exhibition - King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs - opens to the public at 10 am today and continues through April 18, 2010.

The AGO is the sole Canadian venue for the exhibition tour, and offers the only chance to see these artifacts in Canada before they are returned to Egypt. The exhibition is twice the size of the '79 King Tut show and features more than 100 artifacts from the tomb of King Tut and other important pharaohs throughout 2000 years of ancient Egyptian history. Almost all of the artifacts are making their first appearance in Canada.

"Tutankhamun's magic still captures the hearts of people all over the world, even though more than 85 years have passed since the discovery of his amazing tomb," says Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. "This exhibition will raise much-needed funds for the preservation of Egypt's monuments and the construction and renovation of museums throughout the country. I always say that Egyptian antiquities are the heritage of the world and that we are only their guardians."

The exhibition is organized by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. A portion of the proceeds from the exhibition will go toward antiquities preservation and conservation efforts in Egypt, including the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

"As we mark the first anniversary of our transformation, King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs is a great opportunity for young and old to both experience the treasures of ancient Egypt and explore extraordinary art and architecture at the AGO," says Matthew Teitelbaum, director and CEO. "We know from other venues on this tour that up to 50 percent of the visitors are making their first visit to the museum. Together with the boy king we are welcoming new audiences to great art and a great art museum."

The exhibition features a National Geographic video documentary and audio tour narrated by Hawass and actor Harrison Ford.

"Egypt's ancient treasures are among the world's greatest cultural legacies," says Terry Garcia, executive vice president, National Geographic Society. "Even with the great wealth of research that already exists, new technologies continue to open up the past in ways never imagined. Visitors to this exhibition will not only see stunning artifacts spanning 2000 years of ancient Egyptian history, but they will also learn more about the life and death of Tutankhamun through CT scans conducted on his mummy."

Teachers and students in the province of Ontario and beyond have a unique opportunity to learn about King Tut with the AGO's comprehensive on-line resource, featuring a variety of lessons focusing on ancient Egyptian art and history for students in grades 4-12. These materials are available free of charge at www.ago.net/education. All lessons can be used on their own in the classroom or in conjunction with a visit to the exhibition. For students visiting the King Tut exhibition, the resource provides pre- and post-visit lessons. For students who are unable to visit the exhibition, each lesson can be conducted in the classroom and supported by related resources including information, images and interactive activities. All lessons are linked to the Ontario curriculum for grades 4-12.

Northern Trust is a proud cultural partner of the tour, and recently donated 200 VIP tickets to the Kids Up Front Foundation for distribution to children in the Toronto area. American Airlines is the official airline.

"Corporate citizenship has been a focus at Northern Trust since our founding 120 years ago and we are committed to supporting the communities we serve," says Robert Baillie, president and CEO of Northern Trust, Canada and chairman, president and CEO of Northern Trust Global Advisors. "We are proud to uphold this legacy by helping to bring this important exhibition to Toronto. We look forward to sharing this fascinating educational experience with millions of people, locally and from around the world."

"American Airlines is thrilled to have a role in bringing King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs to Toronto," says Dan Garton, executive vice president of marketing for American Airlines. "As the official airline of the tour, we are pleased that American Airlines is helping to make it possible for these extraordinary objects to be seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors."

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

At the AGO through April 18, 2010, King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs features striking artifacts from some of the most important rulers throughout 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, from the 4th Dynasty into the Late Period (about 2600 B.C. - 660 B.C.). Derived from a variety of contexts, including temples and royal and private tombs, most of these artifacts had never visited North America prior to this exhibition tour.

Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt's 18th Dynasty and ruled during a crucial, turmoil-filled period of Egyptian history. The boy king died under mysterious circumstances around age 18 or 19, in the ninth year of his reign (1323 B.C.).

The exhibition includes more than 50 treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb presented alongside artifacts representing other important pharaohs and notables, along with the latest scientific research about King Tut. The storyline focuses on the splendour of the Egyptian pharaohs, their function in the earthly and divine worlds, and what kingship meant to the Egyptian people.

Four galleries devoted to King Tut correspond to the four rooms of his nearly intact tomb, where the treasures were discovered by British explorer Howard Carter in 1922. Legendary artifacts from the antechamber, the annex, the treasury and the burial chamber include King Tut's golden sandals, jewelry, furniture and statuary.

A special area features CT scans of the boy king that were obtained as part of a landmark, Egyptian research and conservation project, partially funded by National Geographic, that will CT-scan the ancient mummies of Egypt. The scans were captured through the use of a portable CT scanner, donated by Siemens Medical Solutions, which allowed researchers to compile the first three-dimensional picture of Tutankhamun and discover more about his life and death.

TICKET AND VISITOR INFORMATION

Information and tickets to the exhibition at the AGO can be found at www.ago.net/kingtut or by calling 416-979-6648 (1-877-225-4246 toll free). Tickets are also available in person at the AGO box office, 317 Dundas Street West.