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Opening Day Celebration: The Golden Age of King Midas

February 13, 2016 10:00 am

Penn Museum

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Penn Museum opens the world premiere exhibition The Golden Age of King Midas—featuring ancient treasures on loan from the Republic of Turkey—with a spectacular day-long public celebration, and an immersive experience into the world of the Phrygian ruler King Midas. A Phrygian fashi­­­on review with costumes flown direct from Turkey, traditional Turkish music and music in the “Phrygian mode” from the group David’s Harp, short lectures by Gordion scholars and the exhibition curator, and pop up mini-talks by Penn graduate students are included.

Family-friendly activities include storytelling—featuring the timeless tale of King Midas and his golden touch—a pebble mosaic craft (Gordion boasts the oldest pebble mosaic in the world, a large section of which is in the new exhibition), a “Gordian Knot” making and cutting table (a bow to another Gordion story of another era), and even a Golden Touch tattoo station.

For the opening, Penn Museum’s Pepper Hall is transformed into a Kervansaray-inspired oasis reminiscent of the Turkish Kervansaray, or roadside inns, that offered travelers a place to recover from a day’s journey. Representatives from the Republic of Turkey join with the Museum staff to cut the “Gordian Knot” and open the new exhibition at 11:00 am.

The Opening Celebration is free with general Museum admission: $15 adults; $13 senior citizens 65 and over; $10 children 6 to 17 and full time students with ID; free for Museum members, active military, children 5 and younger, and PennCard holders. (Admission to the special exhibition is an additional $5, free to Museum members, children 5 and younger, and PennCard holders).

Schedule online: http://www.penn.museum/calendar.

3260 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

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