Boy King

Sparkle and I were in Philadelphia over the weekend to see the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit at The Franklin Institute. We saw close to 130 pieces of Egyptian antiquities, many outside of Egypt for the first time.



Sparkle will study Egyptian history in second grade this year so I thought this would be a great opportunity to make the history come alive. My friend Patty saw the exhibit on a field trip last year and gave us many great, great tips and information on how to prepare for the exhibit so we could get the most out of it. I'm so happy we heeded her advice or we wouldn't have known the significance and historical perspective of the exhibit pieces.

Of the 130 pieces on view, 50 of the artifacts have been excavated from Tut's tomb, including his royal diadem—the gold crown discovered encircling the head of the king's mummified body that he likely wore while living.

The exhibit was a fascinating look at Egyptian culture, art and religion. The craftsmanship and detail on the many bowls, daggers, statues and coffins was amazing. It's too bad that they had such a skewed perspective on life after death.

The exhibit will also showcase some 70 additional artifacts of other royal graves of the 18th dynasty, a period that produced some of Egypt’s most famous rulers and most exquisite works of art. Many of these artifacts have never before traveled outside Egypt and are between 3,300 and 3,500 years old.

The exhibit will be at The Franklin Institute until September 30 and then it will return to Egypt. If you or your child have any interest in Egyptian history or culture or if you are a fan of King Tut, I'd encourage you to consider this exhibit.

If you decide to go, please contact me first so I can point you toward some great resources that will help you get the most out of this exhibit.

*Picture was taken at Franklin Circle of sand sculptures created in celebration of the King Tut exhibit.

Boy King

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