Egyptomania strikes Canada’s national capital

Egyptomania strikes Canada’s national capital: 100,000 visitors and counting!

Gatineau, Quebec, April 15, 2009 — Egyptomania at the Canadian Museum of Civilization has infected Canada’s National Capital. Tombs of Eternity: The Afterlife in Ancient Egypt, the Museum of Civilization’s newest exhibition, has attracted more than 100,000 visitors from around the world since opening just a few months ago.

“We are delighted that this exhibition appeals in so many ways to so many visitors” says Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. “Young and old alike have had the opportunity to walk through this powerful installation and gain a greater understanding of the Ancient Egyptian’s burial traditions, uniquely focussed on perpetuating life.”

Tombs of Eternity: The Afterlife in Ancient Egypt is a dramatic showcase for one of the world’s premiere collections of Egyptian antiquities held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. It tells a compelling story of the lives and funeral rituals of ancient Egyptians. As visitors pass from the realm of the living to the dead, they experience what tombs reveal about life in ancient Egypt.

This exhibition presents more than 200 authentic artifacts ranging from dazzling jewellery to human and animal mummies. Rare and fragile objects include sarcophagi, amulets, sculptures, beads, weapons and furniture. Each object provides a perspective into the afterlife, while illuminating the beliefs of this ancient civilization.

The exhibition recreates the setting of a 4,000-year-old burial tomb using authentic artifacts from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The tomb takes visitors on a symbolic journey that reveals the lifelong preparation for death and the afterlife in Ancient Egypt. A short video at the end of the exhibition shows how Canadian scientists use scans as a non-invasive method of examining the mummies. These scans allow scientists to gain a greater understanding of the mummification process and insight into the lives of ancient Egyptians

An IMAX® feature film, Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs, is being shown by the Museum in parallel with the exhibition. The filmshows the mysterious world of the pharaohs: their fascinating culture, religion, medicine, and daily life and demonstrates what scientists can learn from mummy DNA to help develop medical treatments for modern diseases.

Tombs of Eternity: The Afterlife in Ancient Egypt and the IMAX film Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs are presented at the Canadian Museum of Civilization until August 16, 2009. Regular Museum admission includes access to Tombs of Eternity, to the permanent and special exhibitions, to the Postal and Children’s Museums, and entitles visitors to a 50% discount on tickets to the IMAX and to the Canadian War Museum.

This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in collaboration with the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

Another exhibition entitled Fascinating Egyptian Mummies will start in the City of Québec on April 22, 2009, at the Musée de la