We went to the King Tut exhibition at the L.A. County Museum this Saturday. Just thought I'd post a quick report.

The weekend tickets were $30 for adults and $15 for kids; our 2-year-old was free, and they permitted strollers. We had tickets for 9 a.m. and they asked us to be there 30 minutes early. This is because you are required to check all cameras and camera phones, then go through a long maze and then wait to get into the museum. We were feeling pretty smart to go so early, because the lines were short. But there was an 8 a.m. time, and in hindsight, that is when I would have gone.

The exhibit is fascinating and very dramatic. The first thing they do is usher a group into a theater to watch a little video. Then, in the next room, suddenly a lighted King Tut figure appears. There are a lot of very theatrical, glossy touches, fitting of a display put together in part by the people who produced Celine Dion's A New Day.

The show itself was nicely done, with artificats from other kings, and then quite a bit of King Tut's gold and masks and jewelry. There was great background information that put some perspective around the politics of his dynasty. In most places, they had information on the artificats presented in several places, including up above, so you could read about what you were looking at even if you didn't have a close-up view.

There also was a great video toward the end that debunked theories of King Tut being killed by a blow to his head; and presented compelling evidence that he died of a leg fracture and subsequent infection.

The biggest problem was that it was incredibly crowded. The audio tour, which we didn't get, must have been slow, because people listening were just standing in front of display cases for long stretches -- rude, long stretches. In one case, the audio had people stop near the door between two rooms, blocking access and leaving people pushing me and my daughter. It felt claustrophobic and it was frustrating. There was really not an over-abundance of artificacts (around 125) so if you passed over a crowded display case, you really missed a big chunk of the show. When I asked a guard about the crowds and the pushing, she said, "Come back in the afternoon," and I inferred that things grew more crowded and pushy as the day grew later.

We spent close to an hour in the exhibit, and my son (age 7) really liked it. The gift shop had the usual stuff, very expensive. A pharaoh's hat for $32; a Tut doll for $14; King Tut boxes of chocolate; models of pyramids, books, toys, etc.

I was glad to see it, because I missed the Tut tour in the 70s being too far from the nearest city where it went. I was glad his mummy is in Egypt, where I believe it belongs, and I am glad if any of my money goes to help the Egyptian government build a proper museum for him.

I did hate the crowding. The problem wasn't too many people but a poor layout of exhibits that focused more on drama than on crowd flow. There were two different points where we were stuck between rooms and unable to move for 10 minutes or so, which given the whole exhibit took an hour to navigate was way too much time. Security did nothing to keep the crowd moving.

Maybe this will be fixed before the show moves on to Fort Lauderdale, Chicago and Philadelphia.

Thanks for the report, I plan on seeing it in Fort Lauderdale. Did it have an ending date for LA?

Last day in LA is Nov. 15. Then, Florida on Dec. 15. I checked on kingtut.com.

Sorry to everyone that my title said short report, and then I made it so long.

Last time around, my husband devised a method for getting through the crowds: he dropped to his knees and worked his way through at that level, ending up right in front of the showcases--at which time he stood up. Worked like an Egyptian charm.

I was glad to see your post as we are in the LA area this August. Our time is very limited and I am wondering if I will regret not taking the kids to the Tut exhibit. Had I realized it would be in the area when I purchased our plane tickets, I may have opted for another day in the area.
Our kids are 18, 12 and 8. I am not so sure they would be as thrilled with the exhibit as myself and my husband.
Looking forward to more reports.

Hi, sfamylou!

Thanks so much for the report! We have tried for a July weekend, but they are all sold out! So we'll have to try for another weekend later.

Your hint of doing the tour the very first thing in the early morning is very good. We will follow your advice and try to get the first time slot for that day.

Looking forward to seeing this exhibit as my entire family is fascinated with the ancient Egyptians!

Thanks again!

Underhill, LOL!!! Clever husband that you have!

BTW, does anyone remember when King Tut was in SF? It was quite awhile ago but I have been trying to figure out when that was. We were fortunate, we went with some club/association and consequently had a private showing which was wonderful. Thanks!

Thanks for your report. I had wondered what the exibit would be like here in the the US. I took my 12 year old daughter to Egypt in March for her spring break and we spent quite a bit of time in the Cairo Museum. At that time they were removing some small things with notes in their place. It too, was very chaotic but wonderful. Glad you and your family enjoyed it.
Thanks again.

We can't remember either. We first saw the exhibition in Seattle; then my husband weaseled his way into the one in Chicago by pleading for a member to take him along. Then came San Francisco. I still have the catalogue, but darned if I know where.

Thanks for your report. We were going to try to go this weekend but the tickets were sold out. We will probably end up going the 2nd week in Nov, just before the exhibit ends. We'd better get those entrance tickets now

The last King Tut tour was from 1976-1979 I think. I was wrong about the website; try kingtut.org instead of .com

Thanks for the report - we are waiting for it to arrive in Ft. Lauderdale.
Hope we can see it without the crowds but looks like it will be jammed here, too.

Went online to sign up for a number for priority tix. (just means you can buy them even if sold out, I think)

I was lucky that I got to see the Tut exhibit as a kid on a school trip in 7th? grade. I think that it was at the Museum of Natural History in NYC. I am thinking that the year was probably 1978 0r '79. (I know it was the late 70's because I absolutely had to wear my long hair down with two tiny ponytails on the sides of my head, just like Pam Dawber from Mork and Mindy. It was the 70's, don't laugh, okay.)

I do remember that I came back home and swore to my mom that I was definitely going to be an archeologist. I had been telling her that for quite some time and that just sold it for me. (I did not in fact become one. But, I still love to read about Egypt.)

It was a very impressive exhibit, I would recommend it highly. I did hear that somethings from the collection will not be brought over though, so maybe it won't be as great.

The arifacts were amazing to see alot of them did not really seem to have any "wear" on them. The large Mask that covered his head was amazing. I remember buying a big poster of it and having it on my wall for years.

Topping for sfammylou: you are a bad detective

My daughter and s-i-l saw it Saturday morning too and loved it, but had the same complaints you did, sfamylou. Heck...you probably bumped into each other!

A quote from her email: The only draw back was the museum was unbelievably crowded - shoulder to shoulder people who have no qualms about pushing you to get where they want to go

The original King Tut exhibition toured the U. S. from 1976 to 1979; as far as I can find out, it was in San Francisco in 1976.

I was fortunate to see the King Tut exhibit at the British Museum in 1972 the first time I had ever been to Europe. I remember standing in a long line outside of the museum knowing we would soon be seeing something very special. Do any other "older Fodor's" remember that exhibit?