100 Years after discovery of the tomb
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery by Howard Carter of King Tut’s ancient tomb and countless artifacts, an Immersive King Tut Exhibit will take the spotlight at Zona Rosa in Platte County starting on Sept. 16.
The new immersive art experience, Immersive King Tut: Boy. King. Hero., will be located on the second floor of The Grove, where the digital art images of Vincent van Gogh’s iconic masterpieces were recently featured.
The story of Tutankhamun, who is more commonly referred to as King Tut, received widespread attention with the discovery and excavation of his well-preserved tomb in 1922. While the excavation provided an incomplete picture of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh’s reign, it did provide a snapshot of the types of objects that wealthy Egyptians possessed and their descent into the afterlife.
“Since the discovery of his tomb a century ago, Tutankhamun – or King Tut – has transfixed the world,” said Corey Ross, producer of Immersive King Tut. “Over the past 100 years, the magnificent artifacts from his tomb have drawn millions of visitors eager to see first-hand the grandeur and splendor of Egypt’s most famous leader. This captivating experience will use sight and sound to transport visitors more than 3,000 years into the past in a groundbreaking way that only Lighthouse Immersive can.”
Immersive King Tut uses digital visuals to tell the unique story of the ancient Egyptian funerary text, known as the Amduat, which was found illustrated on the tombs of pharaohs. The exhibit’s video mapping and animation are designed to bring to life the story of King Tut and his journey to the underworld.
“For the first time we’re moving beyond the men and women who have created some of the world’s most prized treasures into a world where the world’s most prized treasures were created to honor one man,” said Svetlana Dvoretsky, producer of Immersive King Tut. “Visitors to our Lighthouse ArtSpace venues will virtually move from room to room, experiencing ancient Egypt in a mesmerizing way that’s befitting for a king.”
The exhibit is featured by Toronto-based Lighthouse Immersive with cooperation from the Egyptian Council for Tourism Affairs.
“Immersive King Tut highlights one of the most important elements of ancient Egyptian civilization, which is the journey of the deceased during the 12 hours of the night undertaken by the most famous king of ancient Egypt, Tutankhamun,” said Doctor Hazem Attiatalla, Egyptian Council for Tourism Affairs.
Lighthouse Immersive partnered with the United Exhibits Group (UEG) and the International Foundation for Fine and Decorative Arts (IFFDA) to launch Immersive King Tut in seven cities.
“The foundational story and concept for Immersive King Tut came from the very significant and popular ancient Egypt exhibition, Quest for Immortality, that premiered at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and then toured internationally for 15 years,” said UEG founder Teit Ritzau. “The Quest for Immortality exhibition told the ancient Egyptian story of the Amduat as it was preserved in the tombs of the pharaohs of New Kingdom Egypt based on the exhibition’s concept, developed by the world-leading Egyptological expert Dr. Erik Hornung.”
“For the Immersive show, the team preparing Immersive King Tut has adapted and built on the concept of Quest for Immortality,” added Dr. Carolyn Routledge, director, UEG ADM. “In doing so they are creating the first dramatic telling of one of the most important elements of ancient Egyptian culture and specifically for the young Tutankhamun: his voyage from the tomb to the underworld to join the exciting and perilous journey of the sun god in his boat through the 12 hours of the night to ensure the successful rising of the sun to this world in the morning and at the same time the rebirth of Tutankhamun in the afterlife.”
The design team behind Immersive King Tut is Cocolab, a Mexico City-based company with more than a decade of experience designing shows.
“Audiences will experience a much more cinematic experience than other immersive shows,” said project leader César Moheno-Pla. “We’ve developed ground-breaking animation techniques that will give the feeling of a true immersive experience; visitors will feel like they’re walking the halls and exploring the tombs of ancient Egypt.”
“Immersive King Tut also features a strong narrative that goes beyond simply showcasing the grandeur of ancient Egypt. The story will help guests journey with King Tutankhamun as he faces nightly battles in the afterlife to emerge triumphant when morning comes,” Moheno added.
Tutankhamen became king at about nine years old and researchers believe he passed away at the age of 19. It is believed the famous pharaoh suffered from malaria, scoliosis, and a broken leg.
Tickets to Immersive King Tut are available at immersive-kingtut.com and range from $29.99 to $63.99. Group tickets for 10 or more are also available at a discounted price.
