'Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs' Opens June 27 at the Children's...

'Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs' Opens June 27 at the
Children's Museum of Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, June 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Doors will open tomorrow for
"Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs," a touring exhibition
featuring more than 100 authentic artifacts from the tomb of the celebrated
pharaoh King Tutankhamun and other ancient Egyptian sites. The exhibition will
be on display at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis from June 27 to October
25, 2009, its first Midwest showing following the U.S. premiere in Atlanta.
Most artifacts in the exhibition have never visited the U.S. prior to this
tour.

"Tutankhamun's magic still captures the hearts of people all over the world,
even though more than 85 years have passed since the discovery of his amazing
tomb," said Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of
Antiquities. "America has welcomed the golden king, and now he is bringing
with him all the great pharaohs of Egypt. This exhibition will raise
much-needed funds for the preservation of Egypt's monuments and the
construction and renovation of museums throughout the country. I always say
that Egyptian antiquities are the heritage of the world and that we are only
their guardians."

The exhibition is organized by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions
International and AEG Exhibitions, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme
Council of Antiquities. A portion of the proceeds from the tour will go toward
antiquities preservation and conservation efforts in Egypt, including the
construction of a new grand museum in Cairo.

"We have a longstanding partnership with Dr. Zahi Hawass and with Her
Excellency Suzanne Mubarak, the First Lady of Egypt, and we are thrilled that
collaboration has led to the incredible opportunity for Indianapolis to host
this world-class exhibition and welcome the treasures of King Tut," said Dr.
Jeffrey Patchen, president of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. "We look
forward to welcoming people of all ages to our institution for this
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The exhibition features an audio tour and National Geographic video
documentary, both narrated by award-winning actor, Harrison Ford.

"Egypt's ancient treasures are among the world's greatest cultural legacies,"
said Terry Garcia, executive vice president, National Geographic Society.
"Even with the great wealth of research that already exists, new technologies
continue to open up the past in ways never imagined. Visitors to this
exhibition will not only see stunning artifacts spanning 2,000 years of
ancient Egyptian history, but they will also learn more about the life and
death of Tutankhamun through recent CT scans conducted on his mummy."

Teachers throughout the state of Indiana and beyond have a unique opportunity
to teach a new generation about King Tut and ancient Egyptian history with
financial assistance from Lilly Endowment, Inc., which has generously provided
The Children's Museum with a grant that will enable the museum to provide
nearly 98,000 free tickets for teachers and their students. These free tickets
are available to school groups on a first-come, first-served basis by
registering at www.ChildrensMuseum.org.

To further the exhibition experience for students, The Children's Museum has
created Units of Study with customized lessons created in conjunction with the
exhibition for students in grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. These materials are
available free of charge at www.ChildrensMuseum.org. Designed to supplement
class trips and curriculums, these materials let students become "Curious
Egyptology Investigators" (CEI), using the strategies of Egyptologists and
archeologists to discover clues and reveal learnings about the lives and
customs of Egyptian royalty.

Northern Trust is a proud cultural partner of the tour, and American Airlines
is the official airline.

"Corporate citizenship has been a focus at Northern Trust since our founding
in 1889. We are proud to uphold this legacy by supporting important
initiatives that promote cultural education and awareness," said Frederick H.
Waddell, president and chief executive officer of Northern Trust Corporation.
"We look forward to sharing this inspiring educational experience with the
local community and visitors from around the world."

"American Airlines is thrilled to have a role in bringing 'Tutankhamun: The
Golden King and the Great Pharaohs' to Indianapolis," said Dan Garton,
executive vice president of marketing for American Airlines. "As the official
airline of the exhibition, we are pleased that American Airlines is helping to
make it possible for these extraordinary objects to be seen by thousands of
visitors."

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
On display from June 27 through October 25, 2009 at The Children's Museum of
Indianapolis, "Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" features
striking artifacts from some of the most important rulers throughout 2,000
years of ancient Egyptian history, from the 4th Dynasty into the Late Period
(about 2600 B.C. - 660 B.C.). Derived from a variety of contexts, including
temples and royal and private tombs, most of these artifacts had never visited
the United States prior to this tour.

Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt's 18th Dynasty and ruled during
a crucial, turmoil-filled period of Egyptian history. The boy king died under
mysterious circumstances around age 18 or 19, in the ninth year of his reign
(1323 B.C.).

The exhibition includes more than 50 treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb
presented alongside artifacts representing other important pharaohs and
notables, along with the latest scientific research about King Tut. The
storyline focuses on the splendor of the Egyptian pharaohs, their function in
the earthly and divine worlds, and what kingship meant to the Egyptian people.

Four galleries devoted to King Tut correspond to the four rooms of his nearly
intact tomb, where the treasures were discovered by British explorer Howard
Carter in 1922. Legendary artifacts from the antechamber, the annex, the
treasury and the burial chamber include Tutankhamun's golden sandals, jewelry,
furniture, weaponry and statuary.

A special area features CT scans of Tutankhamun that were obtained as part of
a landmark, Egyptian research and conservation project, partially funded by
National Geographic, 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 and discover more about his life and
death.

"Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" is the second National
Geographic exhibition dedicated to the remarkable treasures of King
Tutankhamun and ancient Egyptian royalty. The other exhibition, "Tutankhamun
and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," opens June 27, 2009 at the de Young
museum in San Francisco.

TICKET AND VISITOR INFORMATION
Information and tickets to the exhibition at The Children's Museum of
Indianapolis can be found at www.kingtut.org or Ticketmaster
(www.Ticketmaster.com or 1-877-TUT-TKTS (877-888-8587)). Tickets are also
available in person at the museum box office. Advance reservations are
strongly recommended to secure desired date and time, which must be selected
at time of purchase. The exhibition will stay open for 90 minutes past the
last ticket. Tickets for groups of 10 or more are available at 1-866-LA-GROUP
(866-524-7687). More information is available at www.kingtut.org or
www.ChildrensMuseum.org.

The exhibition will be open during the following times:
-- June 27 - Aug. 1
-- Sunday - Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.*
-- Friday - Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
*Special Thursday Hours: July 2 from 4 - 8 p.m.
-- Aug. 2 - Oct. 17
-- Sunday - Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.*
-- Friday - Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
*Special Thursday Hours: Aug. 6, Sept. 3 and Oct. 1 from 4 - 8 p.m.
Aug. 20, Sept. 17 and Oct. 15 from 4 - 8 p.m.
(ADULTS ONLY)
-- Oct. 18 - Oct. 25
-- Sunday - Thursday from 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
-- Friday - Saturday from 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

From Sept. 14 through Oct. 19, Monday's will be reserved for school
groups only (9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.).

On weekdays (Mondays - Thursdays), ticket prices are $25 for adults and $23
for seniors age 60 and over. On weekends (Fridays - Sundays), tickets are $30
for adults and $27.50 for seniors. Tickets for youth ages 2-17 are $15 on any
day, and children ages under 2 are free. A companion audio tour narrated by
award-winning actor Harrison Ford will also be available for an additional
charge.

Hotel packages including VIP tickets that do not require pre-reserved times
and dates are available at www.kingtuthotels.com.

About The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to
creating extraordinary family learning experiences that have the power to
transform the lives of children and families. The 472,900 square-foot facility
houses 11 major galleries. Visitors can explore the physical and natural
sciences, history, world cultures, the arts, see how dinosaurs lived 65
million years ago in Dinosphere: Now You're in Their World(R), experience Dale
Chihuly's Fireworks of Glass and examine children's impact in shaping history
in The Power of Children: Making a Difference. The Children's Museum, situated
on 20 acres of land in Indianapolis, presents hundreds of programs and
activities each year. For more information about The Children's Museum in
English and Spanish, visit ChildrensMuseum.org.

CONTACTS:
Donna Lolla, Laura Calliari,
Indianapolis Children's Museum Arts and Exhibitions International
317-334-4003 / 317-363-9840 (cell) 424-247-8619 / 310-941-8780 (cell)
DonnaL@ChildrensMuseum.org laura@artsandexhibitions.com

SOURCE AEG Exhibitions

Donna Lolla of The Indianapolis Children's Museum, +1-317-334-4003, cell,
+1-317-363-9840, DonnaL@ChildrensMuseum.org; or Laura Calliari of Arts and
Exhibitions International, +1-424-247-8619, cell, +1-310-941-8780,
laura@artsandexhibitions.com