Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University Helps Bring King Tutankhamun to Atlanta

The Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University brings Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs to Atlanta this fall in partnership with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and presenting sponsor Northern Trust.

Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs will be exhibited in Atlanta's historic Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center from November 15 to May 25. The exhibition, spanning 2,000 years of history, will include more than 130 artifacts from the tomb of Tutankhamun and other ancient Egyptian sites. This is the first time these treasures will be seen in the Southeast. To complement the Tutankhamun exhibition at the Civic Center, the Carlos Museum will showcase at its Emory campus location the photography of Harry Burton, the photographer who documented the Tutankhamun excavation when the tomb was discovered in 1922.

"The Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University is honored to bring to Atlanta one of the greatest artistic and cultural legacies of the ancient world. The people of Georgia will be able to experience first-hand the impact and relevance of these extraordinary treasures and we look forward to offering an array of educational programs to further illuminate the life and times of King Tutankhamun and the great pharaohs of Egypt," said Bonnie Speed, Director of the Carlos Museum.

The Carlos Museum is home to one of the few Egyptian collections in the southeastern United States as well as the only institution in Georgia dedicated to the research and display of ancient Egyptian art and culture. King Tutankhamun, endearingly called the "boy king," will find a welcoming community in which to reside for a short while. Speaking of the Carlos Museum at the April 2 announcement, Mayor Shirley Franklin said, "Those of us who live in Atlanta have access to the wonders of the world's civilizations right in our backyard,"

The Carlos Museum, known for its act of cultural cooperation when it identified and later returned what was most likely the mummy of Pharaoh Ramesses I to his home in Egypt in 2003, is a unique host for the King Tutankhamun exhibition. With scholars, curators, and conservators providing the interdisciplinary research and conservation required to maintain and understand ancient art and artifacts, the King Tutankhamun exhibition will provide rich historic and cultural perspectives to university scholars, academicians, scientists, collectors, students, and exhibition-goers interested in ancient Egypt -- even as it applies to modern times.

The Carlos Museum will lead the development of educational materials in conjunction with the exhibition for elementary, middle and high school audiences. These supplemental materials will be downloadable for free to classrooms across the country and will address topics such as childhood in ancient Egypt and the journey to the afterlife. Peter Lacovara, curator of ancient Egyptian arts and artifacts, said, "As the Carlos Museum's collections grow, they become increasingly important as a teaching and research resource for faculty and students at Emory and other universities." The Carlos Museum along with the Emory community provides a meaningful context for this exhibition and will serve as a research, education, and reflective opportunity for many.

Emory University President James Wagner, said, "Emory's dedication to courageous inquiry and the spirit of global partnerships are qualities we want to foster. The Carlos Museum of Emory University has helped to create a superb opportunity to reflect on and honor the ancient legacies of the world, their profound impact on our lives, and the importance of continued dialogue. We trust that King Tutankhamun's visit will open many doors."

The most recent U.S. tour of King Tut's treasures, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, drew nearly 4 million visitors from 2005-2007, setting records in each city it visited. The 2005 visit marked the first time in more than 25 years that treasures from King Tutankhamun's tomb were shown in the United States.

Tickets can be reserved for the Atlanta run at www.carlos.emory.edu or www.kingtut.org.