London Attractions Information Centre

Tutankhamun's Exhibition is due to return to London in November 2007 after an absence of more than 30 years. Over 1.7 million people visited the exhibition when it last appeared in 1972 but these figures are sure to be surpassed with more than 130 treasures on show. The artifacts are all between 3,000 and 3,500 years old and include 50 from the actual tomb of Tutankhamun. London is bracing itself for the arrival of hundreds of thousands of visitors who will arrive in the city from all over the world to view the priceless Egyptian treasures.

British archaeologist Howard Carter, who was excavating for his patron Lord Carnarvon, discovered the surprisingly well-preserved tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922 that created a sensation throughout the world. It was the only tomb of its era that had been found intact and full of treasures. This amazing discovery, along with rumours of a mysterious curse, helped make Tutankhamun the most popular of the Egyptian pharaohs in the modern world. It took a decade to catalogue, remove and conserve the thousands of items in the small tomb.

Did you know?

Two stillborn baby girls were found in Tutankhamun's tomb. They had been mummified and placed in tiny coffins. The hair, eyelashes and eyeballs were still preserved. They are thought to be the offspring of Tutankhamun and his wife, who miscarried at five and seven months.

The tomb still contains the pharaoh's remains today although they are hidden from view inside the outermost of three coffins. The two innermost coffins are currently on display at the Cairo Museum in Egypt, while the outermost one still holds the mummy of Tutankhamun and resides in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. As far as historians are aware, Tutankhamun is the only pharaoh still residing in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb itself is very small and appears to have been destined for someone of lesser importance. Tutankhamun's unexpected early death saw the tomb modified very quickly to accommodate the pharaoh.

After discovering the tomb, Carter concluded that it had been broken into twice soon after the pharaoh had been buried. After both break-ins officials of the necropolis resealed the tomb. Fortunately, the tomb robbers did not steal a great amount of the hidden treasures and many of the artifacts buried with Tutankhamun may now be viewed in Cairo's Egyptian Museum with a few of the items in Luxor Museum.

Did you know?

Although the curse of Tutankhamun was made up by the media of the time, there could be some health hazards associated with unwrapping mummies, and today archaeologists wear protective clothing while working.

The Tutankhmun London Exhibition is open from 15 November 2007 until 30 August 2008 and is to be held in the O2, Greenwich London. Opening in July 2007, the O2, formerly the Millennium Dome, is situated on the banks of the River Thames at Millennium Way, Greenwich, London SE10. Tickets for individuals and groups of less than 10 go on sale in September 2007. Parking at the O2 is available for 2,200 cars.

The Thames Clippers O2 express boat service is probably the quickest and easiest way of travelling to and from the exhibition. This is a high speed boat which starts at the West End with pick up and drop off points at London Bridge, Canary Wharf and Greenwich. You can relax with a luxury boat trip on the Thames admiring the London scenery as you travel. North Greenwich on the Jubilee line is the nearest underground station to the event.

Without a doubt, the Tutankhamun Exhibition is a 'must see' event. Miss it and you'll regret it for years to come.