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New Cleopatra Exhibition to Make World Premiere at Franklin Institute (US)

The world of Cleopatra, which has been lost to the sea and sand for nearly 2,000 years, will surface in a new exhibition, “Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt,” making its world premiere in June 2010 at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Organized by National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM), the exhibition will feature more than 250 artifacts, and take visitors inside the present-day search for Cleopatra, which extends from the sands of Egypt to the depths of the Bay of Aboukir near Alexandria.

The exhibition about the legendary queen, who remains one of history’s greatest enigmas, debuting at The Franklin Institute from June 5, 2010 – January 2, 2011, will travel to five North American cities. The Franklin Institute hosted “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,” developed by the same organizers, which became the most attended touring museum exhibition in the world in 2007 after drawing more than 1.3 million visitors.

“Philadelphia was captivated by King Tut, and we are honored to be the first choice to launch this new world premiere exhibition that promises to combine the public’s fascination with Egyptology with the allure of Egypt’s last queen. We look forward to welcoming this magnificent queen to our halls, and to be the first in the world to share with residents and visitors new discoveries from her life, which are being achieved with the help of advancing science and technology,” said Dennis Wint, president and CEO of The Franklin Institute.

Cleopatra, the last great pharaoh of Egypt before it succumbed to Roman opposition, lived from 69 – 30 B.C., and her rule was marked with political intrigue and challenges to her throne. She captivated two of the most powerful men of her day, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, as she attempted to restore Egypt to its former superpower status. Later, her Roman conquerors tried to rewrite her history and destroy all traces of her existence. Although her body has never been found, her story survives...
Read entire article at Artdaily.org