Perhaps this quote says it all: “The boy king has arrived – and with him, the crowds.” – Houston Chronicle

Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs opened with great fanfare to lines of eager visitors at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in October 2011. Houston will be the second to last stop for the tour before the artifacts return to Egypt, and crowds flocking to behold the boy king’s treasures show no sign of abating. The story of a young king who died mysteriously resonates with audiences of every age and every walk of life, some 3,300 years later.

November marks the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, one of the most significant archaeological finds in history. Since his remains the most in-tact ancient Egyptian royal tomb ever discovered, its contents have helped unlock mysteries from the time of the pharaohs. Still today, scientists and researchers are discovering more about King Tut and his world as science and technology advances, including a recent DNA test on his mummy that conclusively identified his parents and more detail about his health and possible cause of death (likely complications from a leg fracture that may have been compounded by other ailments). Some of these findings are on display in the exhibition, on view in Houston through April 15, 2012.