King Tut Wings His Way Back to the US

Appearing at the Dallas Museum of Art until May 17, 2009, then moving on to Atlanta, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs arrived from Egypt with the assistance of the American Airlines (AA) Cargo Division.

Organized by National Geographic, Arts and Exhibitions International and AEG Exhibitions with the cooperation of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, the current exhibition follows a highly successful US tour that began in June 2005 and drew 4 million visitors in Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago and Philadelphia.

For this event, Northern Trust is the Presenting Sponsor and AA Cargo, the official airline. The carrier's responsibility was transporting 130 priceless artifacts to Dallas. The objects — some weighing as much as 1,750 pounds — include 50 of Tutankhamun's burial objects, one of which is his royal diadem. Another object the Museum describes as a gold and precious stone inlaid canopic coffinette that contained the king's mummified internal organs. As part of this encore visit to the US is a selection of artifacts new to the exhibit that have never before been seen outside of Egypt.

“AA Cargo is honored to have been part of such a monumental assignment,” says David Brooks, President of the American Airlines Cargo Division. “The opportunity to transport this priceless exhibition with enormous historical significance was certainly an exciting challenge for the professionals of AA Cargo. The move required precise handling and attention to detail, and we are proud to have handled it flawlessly.”

Proceeds from the exhibition are being used to help preserve Egypt's treasures, including the construction of a new museum in Cairo where the antiquities will be housed.