| Among the largest and most successful exhibitions in European and American exhibition history were – and have been for decades – those linked with the name of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. The discovery of his tomb in 1922 was not only a world sensation; it was also to lend unexpected impetus to global interest in ancient Egyptian culture, its history and art.
Touring exhibitions with the treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb cast a spell over millions of visitors, creating the enduring image of Egypt of our time. The fascination exerted by the person of this youthful king, whose reign lasted just a few years, and his funerary treasures, remains undiminished today.
Likewise untouched by the passage of time is the myth surrounding the discovery of the tomb, as well as the fascination which emanates from the splendour of the golden coffins and the artistry of hundreds of funerary furnishings. Worldwide interest in Tutankhamun’s tomb treasures found a focus in a touring exhibition which was shown in Switzerland, Germany and America, with London as the last stop. Only Austria was left out of these events around Tutankhamun. So it can be considered a real sensation that from March 2008 onwards a newly designed Tutankhamun show – held in association with the Egyptian Administration of Antiquities and supported by the National Geographic Society – will be shown in Vienna, uniquely among all the cities of Europe. With over 150 objects, of which a good third come from the funerary treasures of Tutankhamun, a hitherto quite unknown glimpse of the fascinating world of Tutankhamun and his funerary treasure trove will be given. As suggested by the exhibition title, “Tutankhamun and the World of the Pharaohs”, the young king and his treasure, embedded in the millennia-old history of the land of the Pharaohs, will be shown with the most important loans from the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. The objects, including statues, reliefs, as well as numerous masterpieces from Ancient Egyptian handicraft made of gold, silver, alabaster, bronze, faience etc., convey a particularly impressive image of the fascinating culture of the Pharaoh’s Empire on the Nile. Like in no previous exhibition, we can follow the development of Egyptian art from the time of the pyramid architects to the religious revolutionary Akhenaten.
The huge expenditure and efforts associated with the selection of the objects, their careful maintenance in terms of restoration, and their scientific treatment, will all be explained in the fitting catalogue that accompanies the exhibition. It goes without saying that objects from the rich Egyptian Collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum will also add to this unique show. | 
