PHILLY GETS READY FOR A KING-SIZED EGYPTIAN CELEBRATION
Hotels, Restaurants And Attractions Make Royal Preparations To Welcome Visitors
PHILADELPHIA, November 29, 2006 - More than 3,000 years after his death, ancient Egyptian boy pharaoh King Tutankhamun is about to rule once again: this time his empire consists of Philadelphia and The Countryside™, and his reign will last not a decade, but seven months, from February 3 through September 30, 2007. The landmark exhibition, entitled Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, presented by Mellon Financial Corporation, is making Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute the last stop on its North American tour. To welcome Tut, his royal family and the record-setting number of visitors who will visit the exhibition, leaders from the cultural, educational and business communities across the region are commissioning Tut-related activities fit for a king.
Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs
Photo courtesy of National Geographic Traveler
The Centerpiece Exhibition :
Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs includes more than 130 treasures belonging to King Tut and his royal relatives. Of the 130 pieces on view, 50 of the artifacts have been excavated from Tut’s tomb, including his royal diadem—the gold crown discovered encircling the head of the king’s mummified body that he likely wore while living—and one of the gold and inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained his mummified internal organs. Individual tickets for the show are now available at 1-888-600-KTUT (5888).
Tut Hotel Package :
Area hotels are turning down the covers of their king- and queen-sized beds to welcome guests with various deluxe packages that provide VIP tickets to the Tut exhibition, and, in some cases, the simultaneous Amarna exhibition. The only way to receive an undated, un-timed VIP ticket is to stay at one of the hotels offering the official King Tut Hotel Package: Courtyard by Marriott Downtown, Crowne Plaza Center City, Doubletree Philadelphia, Embassy Suites Center City, Four Seasons Hotel, Hilton Inn at Penn, Loews Philadelphia, Marriott Downtown, Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel, Residence Inn Philadelphia Center City, The Rittenhouse Hotel, Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, Sheraton Philadelphia City Center, Sheraton Society Hill and Westin Philadelphia. Rooms are bookable at www.fi.edu/tut/hotels or by calling the hotel.
Arts and Culture Connections :
Some of the most excitement-generating programming will center around the Year of Egypt at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, which is mounting Amarna, Ancient Egypt’s Place in the Sun. The Amarna exhibition, named for the city of Tutankhamun’s childhood, offers a rare look at the meteoric rise and fall of this unique royal city during one of Egypt’s most intriguing times, and runs from November 12, 2006 through October 2007. Visitors who wish to delve into all-things Egyptian can take advantage of lectures, belly dancing classes and guided tours of the museum’s permanent Egypt collections.
Knowledge seekers who crave still more ancient Egypt can sign up for special day-long seminars in February at Temple University. Topics include the history of Egyptian archaeology and King Tut’s role in it, plus the opportunity to be a part of a private group tour of The Franklin Institute’s Tut exhibition. Just across the Delaware River in Camden, New Jersey, the Adventure Aquarium will put on a daily show that demystifies the legends of some of Egypt’s most revered and feared animals, including the hippopotamus, crocodile, eel and others.
Rest and Relaxation Tut-Style :
If all of this touring leaves travelers ready for some rest and relaxation, the staff at Rescue Rittenhouse Spa Lounge is eager to indulge patrons with its new Cleopatra Rescue Treatment, designed in honor of Philadelphia’s Egyptian festivities. Long honored for her beauty and early use of makeup, Cleopatra’s modern-day treatment infuses her favorite ingredients – milk and honey – into a head-to-toe facial, exfoliation and face and scalp massage, followed by a purifying and cleansing mask.
Those eager to adorn their bodies with Cleopatra-like jewels can head over to Halloween, a narrow, two-floor boutique overflowing with gold, silver, jewels and gems of all kinds. Owner
Henri David is specially designing jewelry and home accents to complement his pre-existing array of Egyptian styles. Customers should look for highly embellished rings, bangles, earrings, brooches and table pieces made of sterling silver, white diamonds, yellow gold and opals.
Eat and Drink Like A King :
Nothing says royalty more than fine dining and drinking. In Old City, the exotic Tangerine restaurant is preparing a special Tut-inspired menu that is sure to tantalize the taste buds. Afterwards, diners can head to the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia for Pharaoh’s Indulgence, a dessert inspired by foods Tut himself might have enjoyed: pomegranates, figs, almonds, dates and honey. A taste of liquid royalty awaits at McGillin’s Olde Ale House, Philadelphia’s oldest continuously running tavern, offering the King Tut-ini, a martini made with vodka and Goldschlager, poured into a gold-sugar rimmed glass.
Tut Transportation :
A great way to take in all of Center City Philadelphia’s Tut-inspired offerings (many are still in the works) is to ride the Tut Trolley, an inexpensive shuttle service that will carry visitors between The Franklin Institute, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and a centralized hotel stop.
Deals and Discounts :
Many Philly attractions are offering discounts to Tut exhibition ticket holders. For instance, a Franklin Institute ticket stub will take $3 off the price of admission to the Lights of Liberty Show, an ambulatory sound-and-light tour that runs from April to October. And for those looking to take in some mini-golf, the same ticket stub gets a dollar off a round of putt-putt at Franklin Square’s new course, from March through September 2007.
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside™ a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676. Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery. On the pressroom, you can also subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates on topics that are specifically of interest to you: What’s New, Dining, Events, Seasonal Travel, Hotel Packages and Tourism Research.
CONTACT:
Cara Schneider, GPTMC
(215) 599-0789, cara@gptmc.com
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