``Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs'' Exhibition Debuts December 15 at Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale; Tickets Still Available for Visits Through April 23.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," sponsored by Northern Trust, opens its doors December 15, 2005, at the Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale (MoA/FL). The second of four venues during its 27-month tour of the United States and the only southeast destination, the exhibition is organized by National Geographic, AEG Exhibitions, and Arts and Exhibitions International, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, and locally sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida.

"People of all ages have an enduring connection and fascination for Tutankhamun," said Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities and director of the Giza and Saqqara Pyramids. "Now a new generation will discover the wonders of the pharaohs and ancient Egypt."

THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Visitors to "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" will view more than 130 artifacts from the tombs of King Tut, several of his relatives, and his 18th Dynasty (1555 B.C. to 1305 B.C.) contemporaries. As viewers progress through the eleven galleries in the newly renovated museum, the objects are presented in the context of the social and political backdrop of the time in which their owners lived and ruled.

"Egypt's ancient treasures are among the world's greatest cultural legacies," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice president for mission programs. "Now a new generation will have the opportunity to view these amazing artifacts from ancient Egyptian sites, including more than 100 objects that have never been seen before in the U.S. This is an extraordinary opportunity that may not come again."

Each gallery focuses on a specific theme, such as "Daily Life in Ancient Egypt," "Traditional Religion," or "Death, Burial and the Afterlife," and builds to the final galleries, where King Tut's treasures reside. This includes a gallery dedicated to five items that were found on the Pharaoh's body when Howard Carter entered the tomb in 1922. The room also includes the visual effect of superimposed items on a projection of Tut's body to depict where they were positioned when the coffin was opened. All of the treasures in the exhibit are between 3,300 and 3,500 years old.

The final gallery of the exhibition features scans of Tut's mummy that were obtained as part of a landmark, five-year 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 see through the mummy's wrappings and compile the first three-dimensional picture of Tutankhamun, which also is on display.

"The fascination with Tutankhamun that began 83 years ago with the discovery of his tomb has never abated. It is obvious why when we stand before the 3,200-year-old exquisite treasures that accompanied King Tut into his afterlife. Calling it `awesome' would be an understatement," said Irvin M. Lippman, president and executive director for MoA/FL.

"We are proud to bring the treasures of King Tut and the Valley of the Kings back to the United States after such a long absence," said William A. Osborn, chairman and CEO of Northern Trust Corporation. "Since our founding in 1889, Northern Trust has advanced a culture of caring and investing in the communities we serve. We are pleased to share this unique cultural and educational experience with the thousands of people who will visit the exhibit as it travels across the country."

"We've seen by ticket demand in Los Angeles and now in Ft. Lauderdale how much this exhibit and subject matter resonates with all types of people all across the country," said John Norman, president and CEO of Arts and Exhibitions International. "This truly is a culturally important exhibition and a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we are proud to help bring to the U.S."

"A prestigious team of partners has made this extraordinary exhibit possible. Almost a million people visited the exhibit in Los Angeles, and it's an equally `hot ticket' in Ft. Lauderdale -- though there are still plenty of tickets available at this point," said Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG.

"We are pleased to partner once again with the Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale. This is the second time in the last five years we have helped the museum bring a major exhibit to the community," said Shelly Spivack, senior manager for public affairs, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. "Having access to this type of world-class, cultural programming is a wonderful opportunity for the people of Florida."

TUTANKHAMUN AND EXHIBIT BACKGROUND

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 in 1323 B.C., in the ninth year of his reign. He was probably only about 18 or 19 when he died.

The exhibition includes 50 of Tutankhamun's burial objects, including his royal diadem -- the gold crown discovered encircling the head of Tut's mummified body that he likely wore as king -- and one of the gold- and precious-stone-inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained his mummified internal organs.

The exhibition also will include more than 70 objects from tombs of other 18th Dynasty royals as well as several non-royal individuals. These stone, faience and wooden pieces from burials before Tut's reign will give visitors a sense of what the lost burials of other royalty and commoners may have been like.

THE CURATORIAL TEAM

The layout, flow and scholarly conception of the show is being organized by curator David Silverman, the Eckley B. Coxe Jr. professor of Egyptology and curator-in-charge, Egyptian Section, University of Pennsylvania Museum, who also helped curate the 1970s tour.

Zahi Hawass, secretary general of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and director of the Giza and Saqqara Pyramids, wrote the exhibition companion book, "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," and a children's book, "Tutankhamun: The Mystery of the Boy King," both published by National Geographic.

The audio tour that accompanies the exhibit was developed by the exhibition's curatorial team and recorded by native Egyptian and film and television star Omar Sharif. The Spanish version is recorded by Univision anchor Jorge Ramos.

TICKET AND TOUR INFORMATION

The exhibit ended its premiere U.S. run in Los Angeles on November 20, 2005, with more than 937,000 visitors. After its stay at the Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale (Dec. 15, 2005, to April 23, 2006), it will head to The Field Museum, Chicago (May 26, 2006, to Jan. 1, 2007) and The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia (Feb. 3 to Sept. 30, 2007).

Treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb were last displayed in the United States during a seven-city tour from 1976 to 1979 that set traveling exhibition attendance records with some eight million visitors.

"Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" school group rates start at $12.50, and individual tickets range from $14 to $30. The exhibit is open seven days a week and tickets are sold on a timed-entry basis, with entry times every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. through 7:30 p.m. For information on MoA/FL tickets, please call 1-877-TUT-TKTS or visit www.ticketmaster.com, www.KingTut.org or www.moafl.org. Tickets also can be purchased through the Broward Center for the Performing Arts at 1-877-787-7711. Due to high ticket demand, advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. For more information on the exhibition, please visit www.nationalgeographic.com/tut or www.KingTut.org.

ABOUT MUSEUM OF ART/FORT LAUDERDALE

Located in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale's Arts and Entertainment District at One E. Las Olas Blvd., the Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale is Broward County's most exciting venue for cultural activities. The Museum features an ever-changing menu of exhibitions, along with an ambitious education program offering art classes in a variety of media and subjects for all ages and skill levels, and weekly special events ranging from jazz concerts to lectures to yoga lessons. Recent large-scale exhibitions include "Diana, a celebration" and "Saint Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes," and shows featuring the work of such diverse artists as photographers Ansel Adams, Clyde Butcher, Maria Martinez-Canas, and Tony Mendoza; painters Edouard Duval Carrie, Enrique Martinez Celaya, and Stephen Scott Young; and sculptor Edwina Sandys. Among the Museum's permanent collections are American and European modern and contemporary art, Picasso ceramics, and contemporary Cuban art.