wonderful things. - Las Vegas Natural History Museum

In 2010, the Las Vegas Natural History
Museum proudly opened its newest
permanent gallery, Treasures of Egypt. We
tell Howard Carter’s story because it is
now the Museum’s story as well. Treasures
of Egypt re-creates Carter’s experience for
visitors as they first peer into its wonders
through a narrow opening in the wall.
The most significant part of the display is
comprised of carefully reproduced replicas,
donated by the Luxor Las Vegas Hotel and
Casino from its former King Tut’s Tomb
Museum. All of the items were made in
Egypt by Egyptian artisans, with the same
materials and techniques used 3,000 years
ago. Each item was approved by the Head of
Egyptian Antiquities before being sent to
Las Vegas, and the tomb contents are one
of the only two reproductions sanctioned
by the Egyptian government.
Today, at least one of the statues –
Tutankhamun standing on the back of a
leopard – has become even more significant.
The original piece on display at the renowned
Egyptian Museum in Cairo was destroyed in
the early 2011 uprising.
Extending beyond the royal life of the
pharaoh, visitors experience the daily life of
ancient Egypt. A recreated Egyptian village
and marketplace offers a hands-on encounter
of day-to-day tasks such as gathering water,
grinding wheat, making pottery, using ancient
carpenter’s tools and bartering for food and
supplies. The exhibit reveals this ancient
culture’s dependence upon the Nile River
and how its people thrived in the harsh
desert environment.
State-of-the-art technology shows the
fascinating mummification process. In the
first-time use of this technology in a museum
setting, visitors slide a computerized panel over
a replica mummy, to reveal CAT scan images.
Two touch-screen experiences give a virtual tour
of King Tut’s burial chamber, and a cruise on
the Nile detailing life 3,000 years ago.
Treasures of Egypt opened January 31,
2010 in a building addition that enclosed
a 5,000 square-foot outdoor patio. An
appropriation from the 2007 State of Nevada
Legislature funded the addition. Development
of the exhibit was made possible by a
generous donation from the Engelstad
Family Foundation.
The exhibit presents an ideal teaching and
learning environment for a variety of subjects
including geography, history, mathematics,
science and technology. The new Ancient
Egypt Experience introduces middle school
students to this ancient world in guided gallery
and lab sessions.
For nearly two decades the Museum has
maintained a steady rate of exhibit construction
that supports its mission statement; 2010
represented a banner year and has paved the
way for continue growth.
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