The Boy-King

No, this entry is not about Michael, although I think he may have stolen some of his makeup tips from this other dude. (RIP, Michael, and I hope you find some much-needed sanity on the Other Side. )

It's about Tutenkhamun, the Boy-King of Ancient Egypt. I went with The Ex to see this huge exhibit that just opened here at the De Young museum. A lot of these treasures were first seen in the U.S. in a big travelling exhibit in the Seventies. This time, some of the more fragile pieces remained behind in Egypt, but the current exhibit is still amazing. The beauty of these objects that are 3000 years old is astounding.

The exhibit is mounted sort of like a Disneyland ride, using the latest technology and theatrical lighting to jazz things up and make the history of the era more accessible to children of all ages. More in-depth curatorial information may have been lost by this approach (I learned more about some of the details of King Tut's Tomb in a childrens' book in the kitschy gift emporium!) but on the other hand, I think people expect more bells and whistles when they go to a museum these days.

This exhibit is going to be here through next March and is a goldmine, literally, for the museum and surrounding neighborhoods.