Travels with Auntie M: King Tut Exhibit

I was reluctant to see the California Science Center King Tut Exhibit since I had seen the first exhibit of Tut artifacts in 1978. My memories of that exhibit were of the large crowds:

Image: Los Angeles Public Library

According to the LA Library, the attendance records for the 'Treasures of Tutankhamun' exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1978) holds the museum record for attendance of a single exhibit, a record which still has not been broken. I remember being packed and shuffled in like sardines-in-a-can, moving slowing pass several impressive golden objects:

Death Mask - Los Angeles Public Library

I was very grateful, platform heals were the style of the day as mine made me 4 inches taller and kept my feet from being stepped on.

The new exhibit was much larger, over 150 artifacts vs the 55 artifacts of 1978; and included 60 new treasures never seen before (outside of Cairo).

I had not taken into consideration the changes in technology during the last 40 years, which made this new exhibit even more impressive and informative.

It included 3-D images, 360-degree theatrical manifestations, custom audio soundscapes, digital content, MRI scan results, several videos and a tribute to Howard Carter, the British archaeologist who unearthed the original tomb.

I didn't bring a camera, wrongly assuming photos would not be permitted, but non-flash and non-video images were allowed and I was lucky to have my cell phone with me.