FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 23, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Cody Hefner (513) 608-5777, chefner@cincymuseum.org
Stunning collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts makes U.S. debut at Cincinnati Museum Center
Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs opens February 15, tickets on sale now
CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) is taking you back to a time when civilization flourished along the Nile, pyramids dotted the skyline and people believed gods walked among us. Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs makes its U.S. premiere at CMC on February 15. Advance tickets are on sale now.
Over 5,000 years ago, one of the most advanced civilizations developed along the River Nile. Ever since, ancient Egypt – the land of pharaohs, extraordinary art, miracles and mysteries – has captivated imaginations all over the world. Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs unveils the mysteries and explores the realities of daily life in ancient Egypt. The extraordinary exhibition looks beyond popular culture’s fantastical portrayals to examine the lives of commoners and god-kings and queens alike.
“My fascination with ancient Egypt started when I was a young inspector working at the great pyramids of Giza,” said Wafaa El-Saddik, former Director General of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and consultant on the exhibition. “Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs is an exceptional and stunning exhibition that takes one back into the life of ancient Egypt, where they’ll feel that same sense of fascination.”
The largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts ever traveled, Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs features over 350 original artifacts, some dating back 4,500 years. Among the featured artifacts are the sphinx head of the pharaoh Hatshepsut, the longest-ruling female pharaoh; the coffin of Nakht, giving insight into ancient Egyptian religious beliefs through ornate decorations; the mummy of Ta-khar, an elaborately embalmed mummy of a wealthy elderly woman from Thebes; and a papyrus from the Book of the Dead depicting a vignette of the judgment scene where one’s heart is weighed against justice with the ibis-headed god Thoth watching carefully.
Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs also features stunningly-detailed models of once-lost cities and landscapes, including models of complex temples with a dazzling array of rooms and corridors, each with specific uses and functions. Vivid interactive multimedia elements, like the world’s first full-size 3D hologram of a mummy, also help bring the land of pharaohs back to life.
“This is an incredible honor for us to host the U.S. premiere of such a remarkable exhibition right here in Cincinnati,” says Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. "People of all ages, all backgrounds are fascinated by ancient Egypt – the pyramids, the mummies, the pharaohs, the culture – but this exhibition tells its story in a way that actually puts you there in the Nile River Valley. This is just another way we are bringing the world to Cincinnati in ways many have never experienced before.”
CMC will host an exclusive Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs premiere party Thursday, February 14 with an after party to follow. Tickets for the premiere and after party are available now.
The exhibition features objects from the University of Aberdeen Museums in Aberdeen, Scotland; the Roemer-und Pelizaeus-Museum in Hildesheim, Germany; the Berlin Egyptian Museum in Berlin, Germany; and the Gustav-Lubcke-Museum in Hamm, Germany.
Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs has been produced as a joint venture between Lokschuppen Rosenheim, the University of Aberdeen Museums, the Roemer-und Pelizaeus – Museum Hildesheim and MuseumsPartner Austria.
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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution and national historic landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of a select few museums in the nation with both of these honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Union Terminal has been voted the nation's 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and Cincinnati History Library & Archives. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes more than one million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org.
