"Tutankhamun and the
Golden Age of the
Pharaohs" to Open at the
O2 in London From 15
November 2007 to 30
August 2008
London Goes Gold to Mark the Opening of
"Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the
Pharaohs"



LONDON, November 9 /PRNewswire/ -- To kick off opening week celebrations
of "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," four major London
landmarks will turn gold at 5pm on Sunday, 11 November ahead of the official
public opening at The O2 on 15 November. Each evening that week, Londoners
and visitors to the capital will see some of London's most magnificent sites bathed in
gold light for the first time in history, heralding the return of Tutankhamun's treasures
to the UK for the first time since 1972 when they attracted more than 1.6 million
visitors and set travelling exhibition attendance records.
During the exhibition's opening week, The Tower of London, Wellington Arch, The
British Airways London Eye and The O2 will be illuminated in gold, a glint of which
British archaeologist Howard Carter said he saw everywhere when he first peered
into the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.
For the first time in its seven-year history, the British Airways London Eye will be
going gold between Sunday 11 and Friday 30 November. As London welcomes the
return of the breathtaking ancient treasures of Tutankhamun, the modern iconic
London attraction will be exciting guests with Egyptian themed on-site decorations
that will allow for a taste of ancient Egypt. Guests can also see the impressive 25ft
Anubis and a tomb decorated with hieroglyphics - including some with a modern
twist.
The British Airways London Eye has also partnered with The O2 to offer a fantastic
joint ticket package with an adult ticket for the exhibition from just GBP12.50.
Guests can also take advantage of the Thames Clipper service between Waterloo
Pier at the London Eye and the QEII Pier at The O2, with services departing every
15 minutes. For more information visit http://www.londoneye.com or call
+44(0)870-5000-600.
"The Tower of London is a well-known iconic building that is recognised
worldwide, so in addition to its own role as a leading tourist attraction and World
Heritage Site, these types of lighting projects are an interesting and contemporary
way of engaging with the cultural life of London," said Ann Wilson, head of sales,
Tower of London.
The Tower of London has also partnered with The O2 to offer a unique opportunity
for groups combining a visit to the ancient palace and fortress, including its treasury
of the British Crown Jewels, with a chance to see the royal treasures of the Egyptian
boy king. With group pricing starting as low as GBP16, the package offers great
value and a golden trip to remember. More information is available by calling
+44(0)20-3166-6311 or book on +44(0)870-899-3342.
"2006 was a record year for overseas visitors to London and great exhibitions like
"Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" add to the spectacular range of
visitor experiences the capital has to offer. A blockbuster attraction of this scale is a
great opportunity for London, and we are delighted to be the exclusive European
city to host this exhibition," said Visit London chief executive James Bidwell.
"Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" is organised by National
Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with
cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, and sponsored by
Credit Suisse. The exhibition includes more than 130 ancient treasures, all of which
are 3,000 to 3,500 years old. To date, more than 325,000 tickets for the exhibition
have been sold or reserved. The exhibition runs at The O2 from 15 November
2007 to 30 August 2008. Tickets and information are available at
http://www.visitlondon.com/tut or http://www.kingtut.org.
Notes to Editors About the Landmarks:
The White Tower, the oldest and most recognisable part of the Tower of London,
which will be the focus of Going Gold, is also the icon for a new nationwide drawing
competition to encourage aspiring artists, successful sketchers and dextrous
doodlers of all ages to be inspired by the rich history of the Tower. Entries must be
received by 14 January and the lucky winner will see his or her drawing displayed
on the scaffolding of the East face of the 90ft high, 107ft wide iconic White Tower
during 2008, as crucial work to clean and conserve its 1,000 yea-old brick work
for future generations takes place underneath. The winning work will be seen by the
two million people that visit the Tower each year as well as countless millions of
Londoners and tourists. Find out more and how to enter at
http://www.hrp.org.uk/drawn.
At 135m, British Airways London Eye is the world's largest observation wheel. It
was conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects and has won over 75
awards for national and international tourism, outstanding architectural quality and
engineering achievement. Since 2000, it has attracted over 27 million visitors and is
owned and operated by the Merlin Entertainments Group.
Set in the heart of Royal London at Hyde Park Corner, Wellington Arch is a
landmark for Londoners and visitors alike. George IV originally commissioned this
massive monument as a grand outer entrance to Buckingham Palace to mark
Britain's military and naval triumphs over Napoleonic France. Completed in 1830 by
architect Decimus Burton, and moved to its present site in 1882, it is now open to
the public and its Viewing Gallery offers unique views of the Household Cavalry
passing beneath on their way to and from the Changing of the Guard at Horse
Guards Parade.
The O2 is one of Europe's leading entertainment destinations - a new
city-within-a-city for Londoners and the world to explore and enjoy. The
centrepiece of The O2 is Europe's finest indoor music and sports venue. The O2
arena will attract global stars and events to The O2, including 2012 Olympic events.
The Entertainment District surrounds The O2 arena, comprising a mixture of leisure
attractions including an 11 screen cinema, exhibition space, Indigo Music Club,
restaurants, bars and cafés, all lining an avenue as wide and long as Bond Street.
For further information, please contact the Tutankhamun press office team:
Contacts: Donna Amato/Sophie Smith GolinHarris +44(0)870-9905408
kingtutpr@golinharris.com
Contact: Donna Amato/Sophie Smith, GolinHarris, +44(0)870-9905408,
kingtutpr@golinharris.com
LONDON, November 13 /PRNewswire/ --

Exhibition Marks the First Time Tutankhamun's Treasures Have
Visited London in 35 Years


"Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" will open on the 15 November at The O2 in London, marking the
first time the boy king's treasures have visited the UK in 35 years. The exhibition is organised by National Geographic,
Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of
Antiquities, and sponsored by Credit Suisse.

Treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb were last displayed in the UK in 1972, when the exhibition attracted some 1.6
million visitors, setting travelling exhibition attendance records. The British Museum hosted the previous Tutankhamun
exhibition and is lending curatorial support to "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," as well as providing
educational content and co-curating the Howard Carter gallery.

"Since the discovery of his tomb in 1922 by Howard Carter, Tutankhamun has captured the hearts of people around the
world. Buried with him were treasures beyond the imagination, giving us a rare glimpse into the past," said Zahi Hawass,
secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. "This time, when Tutankhamun returns to London, he also
brings with him his family. Not only will people learn about the life and magic of the most famous boy king, but they will
also have the opportunity to learn firsthand about this important period of time in ancient Egyptian history."

The first exhibition to take place in The O2's 6500 m(2) exhibition centre, The O2 bubble, "Tutankhamun and the Golden
Age of the Pharaohs" includes more than 130 artefacts, many which have never before been seen in the UK. A gallery
dedicated to Howard Carter, the British explorer who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb, is a unique addition to the
London exhibition and evokes the atmosphere of exploration and the thrill of the 1922 discovery in Luxor using archival
photographs, newspaper headlines and footage. More than 325,000 tickets have already been sold or reserved, which is
a pre-opening record for the tour.

"Egypt's ancient treasures are among the world's greatest cultural legacies," said Terry Garcia, executive vice president,
National Geographic Society. "With this exhibit, not only will visitors see more than 130 incredible treasures dating back
more than 3,000 years, but they will also learn about a tumultuous period in Egyptian history and witness how new
technology is opening up the past in ways never imagined."

Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt's 18th Dynasty and ruled during a turmoil-filled period of ancient
Egyptian history. The boy king died under mysterious circumstances at about age 18 or 19 in the ninth year of his reign
(1323 B.C.). "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" offers visitors a rare glimpse into this period.

All of the 130 treasures in the exhibition are 3,000 to 3,500 years old. These include artefacts found in the tomb of the
celebrated pharaoh as well as several of his relatives and 18th Dynasty (1555 B.C. to 1305 B.C.) contemporaries. Major
objects on display from Tutankhamun's tomb include his royal diadem - the gold crown discovered encircling the head of
his 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.

"Everyone who comes into contact with the legacy of Tutankhamun becomes enthralled by the story of the boy king. The
fact that more than four million people visited the exhibition during its U.S. tour is testament to this fact, "said Timothy J.
Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG. "If pre-sales are any indication, the turnout in London will continue to show the
huge public appetite to discover more about the world of Tutankhamun."

The artefacts are presented in 11 experiential galleries with background about the social and political backdrop of the time
in which their owners lived and ruled. Each gallery focuses on a specific theme, such as "Daily Life in Ancient Egypt,"
"Traditional Religion" and "Death, Burial and the Afterlife," and builds to the final galleries where King Tutankhamun'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. A projection of the objects depicts where the items were positioned on the body when
his coffin was opened.

The final gallery of the exhibition features scans of King Tutankhamun's mummy that were obtained as part of a landmark,
Egyptian research and conservation project, partially funded by the National Geographic Society, 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 compile the first three-dimensional picture of Tutankhamun. Additionally,
the final gallery will contain video footage from Luxor as King Tutankhamun's mummy was unveiled in his tomb on 4
November.

"We are proud to be part of this important exhibition. We look forward to sharing this unique cultural event with our
employees, clients and the local community," said Michael Philipp, chairman and CEO of Credit Suisse in the EMEA
region. Credit Suisse is the presenting sponsor of the exhibition and a founding partner of The O2.
Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun reigned during the 18th Dynasty (c. 1550-1307BC) when the Egyptian Empire was at its height.
Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs explores the amazing artefacts and monuments of the period
and traces the history of the royal family. Find out more about What You'll See.

The 18th Dynasty saw many of Ancient Egypt's greatest rulers and most famous characters, names such as
Amenhotep, Thutmosis, Hatshepsut, Akhenaten and Nefertiti live on.

Tutankhamun's Parentage
Tutankhamun was born during the revolutionary Amarna Period, which had the king Akhenaten at its centre. It is
thought that Tutankhamun was the offspring of Akhenaten and a minor wife named Kiya.

Prince Tutankhaten becomes King Tutankhamun
Tutankhaten was born and spent his early childhood in Egypt's new capital city, Amarna. He ascended the throne
while still a child of 9 years old (c. 1333 BC).

Guided by two officials of the court, the general Horemheb and the "god's father" Aye, Tutankhamun restored the
old religion and re-established Thebes as Egypt's religious capital and Memphis as its administrative centre.
Amarna was abandoned.

Tutankhaten changed his name to Tutankhamun in order to reflect the restoration of the traditional religion with the
god Amun at its head. Tutankhaten translates as "Living Image of the Aten" and Tutankhamun means "Living
Image of Amun".

What Did He Really Look Like?
Come face to face with Tutankhamun! Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs features a lifelike
reconstruction of his head which was produced using recent CT scans and the latest forensic techniques.

The Boy King and the End of a Dynasty
Tutankhamun reigned for around 9 years, making him about 18 when he died. Although married (to
Ankhesenamen, daughter of Akhenaten and his chief wife Nefertiti), Tutankhamun had no surviving children. Two
stillborn babies were buried with him.

Two officials known from Tutankhamun's reign, Aye and Horemheb, went on to sit on the throne following the
boy king's death. Their reigns mark the end of the 18th Dynasty.

How Did Tutankhamun Die?
For years there has been speculation about the cause of Tutankhamun's death. Was he murdered or did he in
inherit a disease that doomed a dynasty?

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs looks at these theories and displays the results of the most
recent studies of the king's mummy, conducted using the latest scanning technology. It shows that he most likely
died from complications following a leg injury.