The world’s most famous boy-king, Tutankhamun is on what seems to be his last ever world tour. Almost a hundred years after his tomb was first discovered, the King Tut exhibition has opened its doors in London at the Saatchi Gallery.
The first time Tutankhamun arrived in London in the 1970s, more 1.5 million people visited the exhibition at the British Museum.
“The reason we are here, we are celebrating almost 100 years since the time of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun,” exhibition curator Tarek El Awady told Reuters.
This is the first time Egypt has allowed so many artefacts to go on tour. More than 150 of the objects discovered in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon. Almost 60 of which have never left Egypt before will be on display and will later move to the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is scheduled to open next year next to the Giza Pyramids.
The touring exhibition Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh has already seen record attendances in Los Angeles and Paris. The show in Paris became the most popular exhibition in France’s history and raised $10m for Egypt, according to The Guardian.
The most visited exhibition of all time in Paris is coming to London's @saatchi_gallery in November 2019! @FedEx @VikingCruises @CBRE @ToutankhamonFR #tutankhamun #tutankhamunlondon #archeology #Egypt #museum #events #London #Paris #History #exhibitions #thingstodo pic.twitter.com/kNYdKZg0cy
— Tutankhamun London (@TutankhamunLDN) September 6, 2019
However, unfortunately for those coughing up almost $40 for a ticket will not be able to see the most well-known artefacts – the gold death mask and three gold coffins – as they are banned from leaving the country.
Tutankhamen – Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh runs until 3 May before it moves to its permanent home at the new Grand Museum.
