The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato Touring Exhibition to Make World Debut in
Detroit on Saturday, Oct. 10
Exhibition Features 36 Accidental Mummies Never Seen Before in the United
States
Detroit Kicks Off Three-Year U.S. Tour
DETROIT, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- They were miners, fathers,
soldiers, farmers and children. They are revered by their descendents and have
been visited by millions. They are rare, shocking. . .and completely
accidental. Now, for the first time ever, they are coming to the United States
in an all-new touring exhibition, The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091008/DC89414)
The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato is a 10,000 square-foot exhibition that
will debut at the Detroit Science Center on Oct. 10, 2009 before touring six
other U.S. destinations from 2010-2012.
Featuring 36 accidental mummies on loan from the Museo de las Momias de
Guanajuato, the exhibition combines science, history and cultural anthropology
to immerse the visitor in the world of a Mexican city over 100 years ago where
deceased residents naturally mummified in their crypts. This will be the very
first time these mummies have been seen outside of Mexico.
"Death has been part of the culture of Mexico, and in particular of
Guanajuato, for centuries. Our Mummy Museum represents our way of
acknowledging the every day citizens that once walked our streets, whose
bodies have transcended generations because of a natural process," said Dr.
Eduardo Romero Hicks, Mayor of the city of Guanajuato, Mexico. "This
presentation for the first time in the U.S. provides the opportunity for these
mummies to tell their story, to show the way they lived, and in some instances
the way they died. In this global world that we live in, we want to make sure
that their story is heard beyond our borders."
"These mummies have attracted millions of visitors to Guanajuato and it is an
honor to bring them to the United States," said Kevin Prihod, President & CEO
of the Detroit Science Center. "This exhibition will present a unique look
into Mexican culture, forensic science and the very lives of these amazing
mummies. It is an experience not to be missed."
Only 1 in 100 bodies buried in Guanajuato experiences this rare and mysterious
process of natural mummification. Unlike bodies that were "artificially"
mummified through an embalming and wrapping process, accidental mummies form
only in certain climates and conditions.
Local legend held that the bodies in Guanajuato became mummified because the
area's water is rich in minerals and sulfur. However researchers believe that
the hot weather warmed the crypts and dried out the bodies. The Guanajuato
collection is believed to be the largest group of mummies anywhere in the
Western Hemisphere.
Visitors to the exhibition will meet some of these accidental mummies, learn
about life in their thriving community, discover the modern-day forensic
technology that helps scientists analyze them, and explore a culture that
reveres and celebrates them. Each mummy will tell his or her own story, with
facial reconstructions completed by a forensic artist to give insight into
their lives.
"Through full-body CT scans at Oakwood Imaging Center (Dearborn, Mich.), along
with recent x-rays and endoscopic examinations conducted by mummy experts
Jerry Conlogue and Ronald Beckett of Quinnipiac University, we are making new
and exciting discoveries about the mummies featured in the exhibition. We look
forward to sharing our findings with our visitors," said Vivian Henoch,
Medical Science Content Developer for the exhibition.
The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato is a highly educational exhibition,
meeting multiple objectives found in the National Science Education Standards
for grades 5-12. A complete educational guide including classroom activities,
historical fun facts, a glossary and more will be available to school groups
visiting the exhibition.
Tickets are $24.95 for adults, $22.95 for seniors (60+) and $19.95 for
children (2-12). They are available at www.detroitsciencecenter.org,
www.accidentalmummies.com and www.museumtix.com. Museum admission is
complimentary with an exhibition ticket. The exhibition will be in Detroit
from Oct. 10, 2009 through April 11, 2010. For further information, including
an interactive tour of the exhibition, please visit accidentalmummies.com.
The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato is an official event of the Mexico 2010
Bicentennial celebration. It is produced by Detroit Science Center Design &
Exhibits at Eekstein's Workshop, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Detroit
Science Center that creates captivating, durable, engaging exhibits and
displays for museum and corporate clients, in association with Accidental
Mummies Touring Company LLC. The exhibition is sponsored in Detroit by AT&T.
Media support for the exhibition in Detroit is provided by Latino Press,
WDIV-TV and WJR-AM.
The Detroit Science Center is a hands-on museum that inspires its visitors to
pursue and support careers in engineering, technology and science. The Science
Center features five theaters, including Michigan's only Chrysler IMAX(R) Dome
Theatre, the Dassault Systemes Planetarium, the Toyota Engineering Theater,
the DTE Energy Sparks Theater and the Chrysler Science Stage; a 10,000
square-foot Science Hall for traveling exhibits; hands-on exhibit galleries
focusing on space, life and physical science; the United States Steel Fun
Factory; an exhibit gallery just for pint-size scientists; and a Special
Events Lobby. For more information, please call 313.577.8400 or visit the Web
site, http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org.
SOURCE Detroit Science Center
Kelly Fulford, Vice President of Sales & Marketing of Detroit Science Center,
+1-313-577-8400 x430, +1-248-496-1170 (cell), kfulford@sciencedetroit.org
