Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs

By Nina Snyder, About.com Guide

King Tut artifacts will be on display at the Denver Art Museum.

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King Tut:

King Tut was born in 1343 B.C. and assumed the throne at nine years of age. The same year, King Tut married his half-sister, a common practice among Egyptian royalty. The couple had several children, but none survived infancy. The boy king died when he was still a teenager at age 19 of mysterious causes.

King Tut's Tomb:

King Tut captured the public's imagination when Edward Carter discovered his tomb in 1922. Ironically, King Tut's name had been erased from Egyptian history for political reasons, but today King Tut is the most well-known pharaoh in the modern world.

King Tut's father was an early champion of monotheism through worship of one sun god, but his line fell into disgrace after polytheism regained its hold in ancient Egypt. King Tut's reign lapsed into obscurity, which may have helped his tomb escape the ravages of grave robbers.

Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs:

The exhibit at the Denver Art Museum features more than 50 objects from King Tut's tomb, as well as other artifacts from the time of the Egyptian pharaohs. The objects range from the magnificent to the mundane, including a golden funerary mask and a stone latrine/toilet seat. The first half of the exhibit details the background of King Tut's Egypt, and the second half recreates the layout of King Tut's tomb.

King Tut's tomb contained four chambers: the Antechamber, Annex, Burial Chamber and Treasury. The exhibit displays photographs of Edward Carter's discovery, and selected artifacts in context for each chamber.

Museum Location and Hours:

Location:
Denver Art Museum
100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy
Denver, CO 80204
720-865-5000

Hours:
The Denver Art Museum is extending its hours at the Hamilton building for the King Tut exhibit.
Tues. - Wed. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thurs. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Fri. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sun. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The exhibit runs from June 29, 2010 - January 11, 2011.

Ticket Information:

Tickets may be purchased online, by calling 720-865-5000, or in person at the museum. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended.

Adult admission: $25 weekdays, $30 weekends
Youth admission (ages 6 - 17): $16.50 both weekdays and weekends
Free admission for children under the age of five.

Programs and Special Events:

The museum will also show a 30-minute 3D film "Egypt 3D: Secrets of the Mummies."
The Just for Fun Egypt section for children allows youngsters to try on Egyptian costumes and design Egyptian collars.
Six Denver hotels will offer special packages for the King Tut exhibit: the Brown Palace, the Curtis, the Grand Hyatt Denver, the Hyatt Regency Denver, the Sheraton Denver Downtown and the Westin Tabor Center.

Elsewhere on the Web

Denver Art Museum Official Site