Photo: Houston Museum of Natural Science

When Kathleen Havens was six years old her parents took her to see the original Treasures of Tutankhamun touring exhibit at the New Orleans Museum of Art in 1977. A blockbuster exhibit, it marked the first time the treasures of the tomb had been seen in America, that sparked another round of Tutmania to rival the original craze when the tomb was discovered back in 1922. This time instead of cobra headbands and bobbed haircuts, the craze included t-shirts, themed candy, and even Batman villains inspired by Howard Carter’s discovery. And of course, the Steve Martin song. Like the rest of the country Havens was enthralled with the artifacts.

“I was amazed,” she recalls. “And I told my parents right then that I wanted to work in a museum someday.” Havens is now the Director of Curriculum and Content at the Houston Museum of Natural Science and has been for thirty years. And, not surprisingly, her favorite exhibit is the King Tut’s Tomb Discovery Experience.

“It opened in 2022 for the 100^th anniversary of the tomb’s discovery,” she explains. So popular in fact, that  some 12,000 visitors a month pass through the exhibit. “It’s one of our most popular exhibits. It’s like you are part of Howard Carter’s team entering the tomb for the first time.”

Photo: Houston Museum of Natural Science

It starts with a forced perspective hallway that feels like you are traveling deep into the darkened tunnels leading to the burial chamber. All around you are meticulously crafted reproductions of the actual artifacts found in King Tut’s tomb, right down to the mummy and the nesting coffins that held it. The museum worked with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to recreate the tomb and everything in it.

“These are life-size replicas surrounding you that you could reach out and touch, although you’re not supposed to, except for the for the Sensory Discovery sarcophagus,” Havens says. Specifically designed for sight-impaired or blind visitors, the sarcophagus has tactile points that enables them to feel the intricate details. But Havens says her favorite part is the movie room. In the inner tomb you can watch an animated film were the hieroglyphics come to life to tell the story of Tutankhamun’s journey to the afterlife.

“It’s a perfect exhibit for school groups and families,” she says. “There’s so much history to see here. And while the golden treasures Tut was buried with are amazing, it’s the everyday artifacts that mesmerize me.” It’s a glimpse inside life in Egypt thousands of years ago.

Know before you go

King Tut’s Tomb Discovery Experience requires a special exhibit ticket. A King Tut ticket will allow you access to the Permanent Exhibit Halls.

Your ticket will have an entry time you must abide by, but you can stay as long as you want.

If you purchase a full-price King Tut ticket, you can receive up to 50 percent off the price of a ticket to Death By Natural Causes or Extreme Animals Alive for the same day. Discount available in person or via phone sales only.

No strollers or wagons are permitted in the exhibit.

You can purchase tickets online here.

by Marene Gustin