# The King Tut Exhibit - Gold Mask or No? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 15, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436 "2005-06-15T20:32:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/1 "2005-06-15T20:32:22Z")
The exhibit is starting here in the LA area and we’re going to LACMA in July to go see it. I am of course, brimming with excitement. However, I have a third hand account that I was hoping a knowledgeable Doper (is there any other kind?) could clear up for me. A cow-orker of **The Highwayman’s** said there was a law in Egypt prohibiting the solid gold funerary mask from being taken out of the country (cow-orker got this from _Good Morning America_). Is this true? 'Cause it’s on all their advertisements - which I canunderstand, as it is the single most iconic piece of Egyptian art. I know there are a lot of other great things to see in this exhibit, but of course I _really, really_ wanna see the mask. ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/2 "2005-06-15T20:52:04Z")
I’m going to! The pamphlet implies that the mask is in the exhibit. It lists a bunch of objects that were found with King Tut and says that the objects are laid out in a way that will enable the guest to envision their original positions and the mask is included in the list. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/3 "2005-06-15T21:29:19Z")
Yeah the website rather implies it as well. I just wanna know if the whole law thing is bunk or not. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/4 "2005-06-15T21:45:39Z")
I saw the smaller exhibit in LA in 1979 or so, and I seem to recall there was a solid gold mask. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/5 "2005-06-15T21:46:50Z")
Last time the Tut exibit toured the mask did NOT go with it. Its my understanding that it will never leave Cairo (fwtw). Sadly the closest it will come to KC is Chicago. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/6 "2005-06-15T21:48:41Z")
> [@Large Marge](#): > > I saw the smaller exhibit in LA in 1979 or so, and I seem to recall there was a solid gold mask. well that was crappy timing on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/7 "2005-06-15T21:56:19Z")
OK, from HERE… [http://premium.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/06/13/tut.blockbuster.ap/](http://premium.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/06/13/tut.blockbuster.ap/) The exhibit opens June 16 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where the artifacts will be on view through November 15. It then tours Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Chicago and Philadelphia in 27 months. Nothing from the sensational 1970s show is repeated. That means there is no gold mask bearing Tut’s unblinking, iconic likeness. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/8 "2005-06-15T22:16:22Z")
Too bad, because it _was_ at LACMA when I went to see that exhibit circa 1977. It was easily the most incredible thing I have ever seen at a museum. Totally awesome (not Val-speak). ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/9 "2005-06-15T22:29:00Z")
Bummer. I’ll just have to go to Cairo when I’m rich and famous, then. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/10 "2005-06-16T08:00:58Z")
> [@Whammo](#): > > OK, from HERE… [CNN - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos](http://premium.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/06/13/tut.blockbuster.ap/) > The exhibit opens June 16 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where the artifacts will be on view through November 15. It then tours Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Chicago and Philadelphia in 27 months. Nothing from the sensational 1970s show is repeated. That means there is no gold mask bearing Tut’s unblinking, iconic likeness. I suppose we’ll just have to make do with the blinking one then. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/11 "2005-06-16T08:04:49Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I suppose we’ll just have to make do with the blinking one then. Oh well. Yes, but it only closes its eyes when you lay it down, and I doubt you’ll be allowed to touch it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/12 "2005-06-16T09:01:09Z")
Anyway, I think the blinky Tut doll is tacky compared to the nodding Anubis. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-tut-exhibit-gold-mask-or-no/308436/13 "2005-06-16T13:16:44Z")
Touch with your eyes only. Then wash your eye rigorously. :eek: