SCI's quick turnaround after 80,000 experience BODY WORLDS Vital

For Immediate Release — Friday, November 4, 2011

DES MOINES, IA: The Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater (SCI) is preparing to open Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets, Modern Science on Friday, November 25, three weeks after closing traveling exhibition BODY WORLDS Vital. More than 80,000 visitors from 28 states experienced BODY WORLDS Vital during the exhibition’s six month run, making it the most successful ticketed exhibition at SCI to date.

“The exhibits team began preparing the space for Lost Egypt immediately following the end of a very successful run of BODY WORLDS Vital,” said Curt Simmons, Vice President of Science Learning and Public Engagement. “Our project team has been developing an exciting new exhibit experience. We’re pleased to bring to Iowa this great experience which is an amazing blend of real artifacts, mummies, and an introduction to the tools of science that anthropologists use today.”

Lost Egypt is an immersive quest for knowledge that reveals how archaeologists use modern science and technology to uncover and understand the ancient civilization of Egypt. Through authentic artifacts, current science and hands-on discovery, visitors will unearth the mysteries of Egypt, its culture and its people.

This interactive exhibition features a real human mummy and animal mummies, as well as scans, forensic facial reconstructions and for the first time ever, a life-size rapid prototype of a mummy in a stage of “unwrapping.” Visitors will explore a re-creation of an Egyptian tomb and authentic art and artifacts from the daily life and funerary culture of ancient Egypt.

Important Dates
The Science Center of Iowa will have coverage and interview opportunities prior to the exhibition’s public opening on November 25.

November 15 – Lost Egypt’s real human mummy, “Annie,” will arrive at SCI and be installed in the Ancient Egyptian Culture area of the exhibition
November 22 – Previews of Lost Egypt are available to members of the media
November 25 – Lost Egypt opens to the public

Contact Chris Beck at chris.beck@sciowa.org to make arrangements.

Visiting Information
Timed tickets to Lost Egypt are $16 for adults, $13 for children ages 2-12 and $14 for seniors. SCI members pay only $5. Estimated visiting time inside the exhibition is 60-90 minutes. Tickets to Lost Egypt include all-day admission to the Science Center.

For more information on the Lost Egypt exhibition and to purchase tickets, visit www.sciowa.org/lostegypt or call (515) 274-6868. Lost Egypt will open at SCI for a limited engagement on November 25.

Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets, Modern Science is locally sponsored by Principal Financial Group and media partners Mediacom, Star 102.5 and WHO-HD Channel 13.

###SCI###

About Lost Egypt: Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets: Modern Science will allow visitors to learn about archaeology and the work of archaeologists, including how science changes over time as new techniques are developed and new information is uncovered. The exhibition was developed by the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio, in cooperation with the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative and was built by the Science Museum of Minnesota. Artifacts are on loan from the Brooklyn Museum and the Academy of Natural Sciences. Photography © 2008 Brad Feinknopf. Mummy scans © 2005 Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium.

SCI's quick turnaround after 80,000 experience BODY WORLDS Vital

About the Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater

The Science Center of Iowa is a 110,000-sq. ft facility devoted to lifelong learning, featuring dynamic experience platforms and daily interactive demonstrations with SCI staff for visitors to explore and experiment. By placing the power of learning in the hands of the visitor, the programmatic emphasis is not on "what" to learn, but "how" to learn. SCI also features the 175-seat John Deere Adventure Theater for live performances, the 50-foot domed Star Theater for planetarium shows and the 216-seat Blank IMAX Dome Theater for engaging films. SCI’s Iowa Learning Center cultivates ties to formal education through educational resources for educators and students, the NAEYC-accredited SCI Preschool, as well as a statewide outreach program.