Mummies of the World Exhibition Makes Texas Debut at The Witte Museum September 29, 2012

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The highly-anticipated Mummies of the World exhibition will make its Texas debut at the Witte Museum on Saturday, September 29, 2012. The presentation in San Antonio will mark the sixth stop of the exhibition's exclusive three-year tour of the United States. This astonishing collection of mummies and related artifacts includes a 6,420-year-old child mummy from Peru, dating 3,000 years before King Tut. Mummies of the World is the first exhibition of its kind to be showcased at the Witte. The exhibition presents a never before seen collection of rare mummies from across the world including South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania and ancient Egypt that spans eons of time and transcends history.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120601/FL16992)

With its astounding collection of 150 specimens and objects, Mummies of the World is the largest exhibition of real human and animal mummies and related artifacts ever assembled. Through modern science and engaging interactive and multi-media exhibits, the exhibition reveals how the scientific study of mummies provides a window into the lives of ancient people, offering unprecedented insights into past cultures and civilizations. It also demonstrates that mummification – both through natural processes and intentional practices – has taken place all over the globe, from the hot desert sands of South America to remote European bogs.

"Mummies of the World will change visitors' understanding of what mummies are and what can be learned from them," said Marise McDermott, president and CEO of the Witte Museum. "The mummies in this exhibition have been studied using cutting edge, non-intrusive technology to provide insights into lives and cultures of long ago. Modern science truly can shed new light on very old ideas and the Witte is honored to offer such a perception-changing and thought-provoking collection to the region."

In addition to the Detmold Child, the rare and ancient objects presented in Mummies of the World include the Vac Mummies, a mummified family from Hungary believed to have died from tuberculosis; the Baron von Holz, a German nobleman found tucked away in the family crypt of a 14th century castle wearing his best leather boots; an ancient Peruvian woman naturally mummified in the warm desert air, with mysterious tattoos on her face and chest, and long black hair intact; and a howler monkey from Argentina, with its fierce expression and adorned with a feather skirt and headdress.

"We are excited to bring Mummies of the World to San Antonio," said Marc Corwin, president of American Exhibitions, Inc. "Most people think mummies come from Egypt and are wrapped, but mummies come from all over the world. The exhibition is changing centuries-old perceptions about what the general public thinks about mummies and providing insight into the lives and cultures of these ancient people. Inside every mummy is a story waiting to be told, and Mummies of the World is here to tell those stories."

Mummies of the World was developed by American Exhibitions, Inc., in association with the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums (REM). The exhibition will be on display at the Witte Museum from September 29, 2012 through January 27, 2013, and is generously supported by Tesoro and the City of San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs. For more information, please visit www.wittemuseum.org or www.mummiesoftheworld.com.  

SOURCE Mummies of the World