Regional Interests

Egyptian Dignitary Visits OMSI King Tut Exhibit

Oregon Public Broadcasting | By Kristian Foden-Vencil

Published November 6, 2018 at 12:56 PM PST

Egypt’s former minister of antiquities, Zahi Hawass, visited OMSI Tuesday to promote the museum’s new exhibit, The Discovery of King Tut.

Hawass said Oregonians will be enchanted by what they see.

“Each object will capture the hearts of everyone. This exhibit has magic, a mystery.”

The objects are replicas. But OMSI spokesman John Farmer says the point is to give visitors an idea of what it was like to discover of the tomb in 1922.

“The anti-chamber, the burial chamber and the treasury are arranged exactly as Howard Carter found them. So you’ve got artifacts stacked on top of each other. Things kind of haphazardly strewn about,” said Farmer.

Historians think it’s that way because King Tutankhamen died unexpectedly, so the tomb was packed up quickly. And it’s believed to have been looted twice, but unsuccessfully.

<p>Exhibit objects, like this chariot, are replicas.</p> — Exhibit objects, like this chariot, are replicas.

<p>Zahi Hawass visited OMSI to promote The Discovery of King Tut exhibit.</p> — Zahi Hawass visited OMSI to promote The Discovery of King Tut exhibit.

<p>Visitors listen to an audio tour of the exhibit.</p> — Visitors listen to an audio tour of the exhibit.