Editor's note: This exhibition is organized by Arts and Exhibitions International, AEG Exhibitions and the National Geographic Society, in association with Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. Northern Trust is the proud cultural partner of the exhibition and American Airlines is the official airline. The Houston presentation of Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs is made possible by Apache.
Museums go to great lengths to display art in a way that engages, informs and inspires, but every visitor knows that touching the art is no-no. After all, the little Mona Lisa is protected by a clear glass case at the Louvre for a reason. The same rule applies at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, but staff also go out of their way to make art come alive through programming for the whole family. Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs presents multiple opportunities for museum visitors of all ages to have hands-on experiences with the exhibit and learn along the way.
From October through April 2012, when the exhibit ends, the MFAH offers an exciting schedule of events, including family days, art workshops, afternoon lectures, a book club and the opening of the brand new Kinder Foundation Education Center, the public’s main source of information about the MFAH art collections and a support center for schools and universities. The space welcomes the public with cozy seating and complimentary Wi-Fi and serves as an exhibition space for student art.
Focused on raising generations of art lovers, the MFAH creates programming for its youngest patrons, and Sunday, Oct. 30 is an event not to be missed. Ancient Encounters: Archeology is a collaboration between the museum and the Houston Society of the Archaeological Institute of America. The event gives families the chance to dig deeper into Egyptian society and understand what life was like for ancient Egyptians.
“This is an exciting way for families to have a hands-on experience. Egyptians made all kinds of advances with technology, and we can engage families in conversations about the exhibit,” said Tracy Truels, MFAH family programs coordinator. "Families make their own cartouches, an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end indicating that the text enclosed is a royal one, and work with a large model shaduf, a machine that moves water from a lower to a higher place.
When Truels and other members of the team begin creating events, they turn to the MFAH’s set of values, ensuring they adhere to the consistent quality and philosophical underpinning integral to the museum’s mission.
“We consider 'look, discover, create' with our programming,” Truels said. “Look at the special things in the museum collections, discover so you can learn more about the work of art, and create, which can be a poem, conversation or art project.”
The spectrum of family events is wide and engages in various ways, such as the Art Plus Studio workshop Discover King Tut on March 13, 2012. Limited to just 20 people and catering to children four to 10, the workshop gives children the in-depth chance to create art in the studio. The class is led by MFAH staff, which creates developmentally appropriate sessions for children age four to six and seven to 10.
“This is only happens once and is a very special experience,” Truels said.
Sundays are a popular family day at the MFAH all year long, with everything from story time to sketching. Each week, museum staff chooses a piece of art and builds activities around it in a “Family Zone,” pulling out gallery carts filled with items children are encouraged to touch and explore.
“We want families to feel comfortable, and everybody is welcome. This is for children to touch and talk about. We are excited about more families getting to know about the museum,” Truels said.
Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs runs October 16, 2011 to April 15, 2012 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's Caroline Wiess Law Building at 1001 Bissonnet. For more information, call 713.639.7300 or visit mfah.org.
For tickets, call the King Tut Ticket Hotline at 1-888-931-4TUT (4888)
Tut Exhibition Entry Times are:
Monday-Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Opens at 9 a.m., closes at 5 p.m.)
Thursday- Saturday: 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Opens at 9:30 a.m., closes at 9 p.m.)
Sunday: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Opens at 12:15 p.m., closes at 7 p.m.)
Sundays at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston feature story time and crafts.
