December 7, 2011
A total of 796, 277 people saw the artefacts from Tut's tomb and the temples of his ancestors from the 18th dynasty since the exhibition opened in April, exceeding all expectations; few exhibitions have attracted attendances of more than 300,000.
THE Melbourne Museum's Winter Masterpiece exhibition Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs has smashed all records for touring exhibitions in Australia, attracting almost 800,000 visitors.
Almost half of the 796,277 attendees travelled from interstate or overseas to see the blockbuster show.
As the 3000-year-old artefacts were packed away by specialists yesterday, Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher released a statement confirming what anybody who had queued for the exhibition had suspected - King Tut set a new national record.
A total of 796, 277 people saw the artefacts from Tut's tomb and the temples of his ancestors from the 18th dynasty since the exhibition opened in April, exceeding all expectations; few exhibitions have attracted attendances of more than 300,000.
''Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs has not only provided Victorians with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the treasures of the boy king in their own Melbourne Museum, but has also attracted more than 326,000 interstate and international visitors [41 per cent of attendees], driving outstanding tourism and economic benefits for Victoria,'' Ms Asher said yesterday.
''In Australia, only a handful of exhibitions have exceeded attendances of 300,000. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs stands head and shoulders above this - a testament to Melbourne's continuing reputation as Australia's cultural hub.''
Melbourne's tally brings the total worldwide attendance of the exhibition, which has been touring for seven years, to more than 8 million.
All the artefacts exhumed from Tutankhamun's tomb are considered property of the Egyptian government, by international convention, and it's rare for them to leave the country - and Melbourne's exhibition run was the last time they will leave the country.
Mark Lach, creative director of Arts and Exhibitions International, who designed the exhibition, said a small number of objects from the exhibition will travel to Japan, but most of them will be sent back to Egypt.
''Some objects, without our involvement, are going on to Japan, and we believe it had to do with the new regime in Egypt,'' he said. ''But the rest are going back to Egypt, probably forever now.''
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