MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON, TO PRESENT 'TUTANKHAMEN: THE GOLDEN KING AND THE GREAT PHARAOHS'

THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON (MFAH), WILL HOST 'TUTANKHAMEN: THE GOLDEN KING AND THE GREAT PHARAOHS', AN ACCLAIMED EXHIBITION FEATURING MORE THAN 100 ARTIFACTS, MOST OF WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN SHOWN IN THE US PRIOR TO THIS HISTORIC TOUR. THE EXHIBITION OPENS 13.OCTOBER.2011 AND WILL BE ON VIEW THROUGH 15.APRIL.2012. VISITORS WILL HAVE A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE SPECTACULAR TREASURES, MORE THAN HALF OF WHICH COME FROM THE TOMB OF TUTANKHAMEN. THESE INCLUDE THE GOLDEN SANDALS THAT WERE FOUND ON THE BOY KING'S MUMMY, A GOLD COFFINETTE THAT HELD HIS STOMACH, GOLDEN STATUES OF THE GODS, HIS RINGS, EAR ORNAMENTS AND GOLD COLLAR. THE EXHIBITION IS ORGANIZED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE EGYPTIAN SUPREME COUNCIL OF ANTIQUITIES AND ITS SECRETARY GENERAL, DR ZAHI HAWASS, BY THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY, ARTS AND EXHIBITIONS INTERNATIONAL AND AEG EXHIBITIONS. MAJOR PROCEEDS FROM THE TOUR WILL SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION OF ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS IN EGYPT, AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM IN CAIRO. TUTANKHAMEN: THE GOLDEN KING AND THE GREAT PHARAOHS' FEATURES TREASURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT RULERS OF THE 30 DYNASTIES THAT RULED EGYPT OVER A 2,000 YEAR SPAN. THE EXHIBITION EXPLORES THE SPLENDOR OF THE PHARAOHS, THEIR FUNCTION IN BOTH THE EARTHLY AND DIVINE WORLDS AND WHAT 'KINGSHIP' MEANT TO THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE. VISITORS WILL ENCOUNTER MASTER SCULPTURES OF POWERFUL EGYPTIAN RULERS, INCLUDING KHAFRE, BUILDER OF THE GREAT SPHINX AND ONE OF THE PYRAMIDS AT GIZA; HATSHEPSUT, THE QUEEN WHO BECAME A PHARAOH; STATUES OF THE WARRIOR PHARAOHS, TUTMOSIS AND RAMESSES THE GREAT; AS WELL AS KING TUT'S FATHER AKHENATEN, THE PHARAOH WHO CHANGED EGYPT'S RELIGION TO THE WORSHIP OF ONE OMNIPOTENT SUN GOD. THE MAGNIFICENT GOLDEN DEATH MASK OF PSUSENNES I WILL ALSO BE ON DISPLAY. THE SPECTACULAR EXHIBITION ALSO SHOWCASES THE LARGEST LIKENESS OF KING TUT EVER DISCOVERED, A 10 FOOT STATUE OF THE PHARAOH FOUND AT THE REMAINS OF A FUNERARY TEMPLE. TUTANKHAMEN WILL BE ON VIEW IN THE 22,000 SQUARE FOOT UPPER BROWN PAVILION OF THE CAROLINE WIESS LAW BUILDING AT THE MFAH. ITS INTRODUCTION FEATURES A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY NARRATED BY AWARD WINNING ACTOR HARRISON FORD. THE FINAL GALLERIES ARE DEDICATED TO KING TUT'S TOMB, INCLUDING AN AREA DEVOTED TO ITS DISCOVERY BY BRITISH EXPLORER HOWARD CARTER IN 1922. THERE, VISITORS, WILL ENCOUNTER LEGENDARY TREASURES FROM THE TOMB'S ANTECHAMBER, ANNEX, TREASURY AND BURIAL CHAMBER IN CORRESPONDING GALLERIES.