I’ve attended two different King Tut exhibits and found them immensely interesting, but this month Lighthouse Immersive will take you into the Valley of the Kings without a passport. According to the press release “guests will be explorers on a magical journey as the Pharaoh Tutankhamun descends into the Underworld to defend the sun against the forces of chaos, brining light again upon Ancient Egypt. Now that sounds more like a fantastical adventure film or game. The new exhibit which opens on 19 August 2022 in Los Angeles, is presented under the auspices of the Egyptian Council for Tourism Affairs. “Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light” highlights one of the most important elements of ancient Egyptian civilization, which is the journey of the deceased during the 12 hours of the night undertaken by the most famous kings of ancient Egypt, Tutankhamun” said Doctor Hazem Attiatalla, Egyptian Council for Tourism Affairs.
Lighthouse Immersive is the same company that brought Los Angeles “Immersive Van Gogh” which I found was a peaceful oasis within the busy Hollywood and a great way to celebrate the easing up of pandemic restrictions. For the Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light,” the Toronto-based Lighthouse Immersive partnered with United Exhibits Group (UEG) and International Foundation for Fine and Decorative Arts (IFFDA) to bring this exhibition to its venues across North America under the auspices of the Egyptian Council for Tourism Affairs. The exhibit is being launched to commemorate the 100th anniversary of archeologist Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb of the legendary “boy king” in November 1922.
“Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light” will use visuals to tell the story of the Amduat, an important ancient Egyptian funerary text, thought to be the oldest known illustrated story, that was depicted on the tombs of pharaohs. State-of-the-art video mapping and ground-breaking animation bring to life the story of King Tut’s passage into the afterlife as he escorts the sun through the underworld each night to rise again victoriously each morning. Mexico City-based Cocolab created the fantastical animations integrating images acquired by UEG and IFFDA through their 30-year history of presenting touring exhibitions including those honoring King Tut and ancient Egyptian civilization.
“Since the discovery of his tomb a century ago, Tutankhamun – or King Tut – has transfixed the world,” said Corey Ross, producer of “Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light.” “Over the past one hundred years, the magnificent artifacts from his tomb have drawn millions of visitors eager to see first-hand the grandeur and splendor of Egypt’s most famous leader. This captivating experience will use sight and sound to transport visitors more than 3,000 years into the past in a groundbreaking way that only Lighthouse Immersive can.”
“For the first time we’re moving beyond the men and women who have created some of the world’s most prized treasures into a world where the world’s most prized treasures were created to honor one man,” said Svetlana Dvoretsky, producer of “Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light.” “Visitors to our Lighthouse ArtSpace venues will virtually move from room to room, experiencing ancient Egypt in a mesmerizing way that’s befit for a king.”
“Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light” has already opened in Denver (22 July 2022) and will open in Toronto on 12 August 2022. The Los Angeles version will open on 19 August 2022. In September, the experience will open in Dallas (23 September 2022) and Phoenix (30 September 2022). Chicago’s experience will open October 14.
Tickets, which start at $29.99, have been on sale since Friday, June 17 (Saturday, June 18 in Dallas) and are available at immersive-kingtut.com. Ticket buyers can save 20% on VIP and premium tickets during the pre-sale beginning June 16, and initial on-sale period, subject to availability. We bought the VIP tickets for the Van Gogh experience and it was well-worth it.
“The foundational story and concept for’ Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light’ came from the very significant and popular ancient Egypt exhibition, ‘Quest for Immortality’, that premiered at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and then toured internationally for 15 years,” said UEG founder Teit Ritzau. “’The Quest for Immortality’ exhibition told the ancient Egyptian story of the Amduat as it was preserved in the tombs of the pharaohs of New Kingdom Egypt based on the exhibition’s concept, developed by the world leading Egyptological expert Dr. Erik Hornung.”
“For the Immersive show, the team preparing ‘Immersive King Tut’ have adapted and built on the concept of ‘Quest for Immortality,’” added Dr. Carolyn Routledge, Director, UEG ADM. “In doing so they are creating the first dramatic telling of one of the most important elements of ancient Egyptian culture and specifically for the young Tutankhamun: his voyage from the tomb to the underworld to join the exciting and perilous journey of the sun god in his boat through the 12 hours of the night to ensure the successful rising of the sun to this world in the morning and at the same time the rebirth of Tutankhamun in the afterlife.”
‘Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light’ was designed by the acclaimed creative team at Cocolab in Mexico City. The project is headed by César Moheno-Pla, with original music by Edi Kistler and art direction by Renata Galindo.
“Audiences will experience a much more cinematic experience than other immersive shows,” said Moheno-Pla. “We’ve developed ground-breaking animation techniques that will give the feeling of a true immersive experience; visitors will feel like they’re walking the halls and exploring the tombs of ancient Egypt.
“’Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light’ also features a strong narrative that goes beyond simply showcasing the grandeur of ancient Egypt. The story will help guests journey with King Tutankhamun as he faces nightly battles in the afterlife to emerge triumphant when morning comes,” Moheno added.
Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled around 1332 – 1323 B.C. Taking the throne at about nine years of age, his short reign spurred the creation of some of the most important artworks in all of world history, and for many these mark the height of ancient Egypt’s culture. The discovery of the treasures in his tomb in 1922 by acclaimed archeologist Howard Carter changed the world dramatically in its view of ancient Egypt, archaeological discovery, and sparked a global fascination with ancient Egypt that continues to this day. More than 5,000 artifacts were ultimately removed from the king’s tomb and are preserved in Egypt’s national collection.
“’Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light’ will amaze the lovers of ancient Egyptian civilization,” added Dr. Attiatalla. “On behalf of the Egyptian tourism industry, we have given our full support to this show to not only highlight the magnificence of ancient Egypt, but to attract more tourist traffic to Egypt.”
This sounds like a great way transport yourself into another time and country without the bother of vaccinations, visas and passports. If you’re ready to be amazed and journey into the light, tickets for “Immersive King Tut: Magic Journey to the Light” are available at immersive-kingtut.com
If you’re truly an immersive experience fan or just a lover of Egyptian art and artifacts and/or the boy king Tut, National Geographic will also have an immersive King Tut experience. “Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience” will open up its Los Angeles exhibit on 7 October 2022. Tickets are already on sale and begin at $44 for adults. The exhibit promises to open the archives of National Geographic as you “travel back over 3,000 years to meet the boy king, the gods of the Egyptian underworld, and experience the magic and mystery of Ancient Egypt.” You also get to “join in the historic tomb discovery 100 years ago and investigate it through the lens of modern forensics.” The National Geographic exhibit is already open in Washington, DC and Boston. Tickets for Los Angeles and Vancouver are already on sale. The show will also open in Atlanta, New York and San Francisco. For tickets or more information, visit National Geographic: Beyond King Tut.
Pasadena Art & Science Beat 