Treasures of Ancient Egypt: The Quest for Immortality Tuesday, January 31, 2006 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Van Andel Museum Center 272 Pearl Street NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504

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Event Details

The Calvin Alumni Association Grand Rapids Area Chapter invites you to participate in its 22nd edition of Calvin Around Town.

In the past few years, Calvin Around Town has specialized in ancient cultures, from investigating the mysteries of the Dead Sea Scrolls to touring the marvels of Petra: Lost City of Stone. From 6 - 10 p.m., January 31, 2006 Calvin alumni and friends will re-visit that ancient Middle Eastern theme when Calvin Around Town explores Treasures of Ancient Egypt: The Quest for Immortality.

This exhibit — organized by the National Gallery of Art in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo and the United Exhibits Group in Copenhagen, Denmark — is the largest collection of antiquities ever loaned by Egypt for exhibition in North America. Many of them are on display for the first time.

From their earliest history, the Egyptians defied the physical barrier of death, creating a culture whose religious beliefs and customs pursued a life beyond the grave. Treasures of Ancient Egypt: Quest for Immortality features more than 100 unusual artifacts from Egypt’s New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC) through the Late Period (664-332 BC) that represent the ancient Egyptian fascination with the afterlife: a colorfully painted funerary boat from the Tomb of Amenhotep II, a 21st-dynasty solid gold mask of Wenudjebauendjed — one of the very few surviving funerary masks, an 18th-dynasty quartzite portrait statue of the architect Amenhotep, an elaborately-decorated intact sarcophagus lid of Nicrotis and a colossal head of Rameses II among them. In addition to the wonders of the exhibition, Calvin alumni and friends will benefit from the expertise of Calvin art professor Henry Luttikhuizen through his lecture, “From Here to Eternity.” Adel Abadeer, a Calvin professor of economics and native of Egypt, will join a panel of speakers discussing past and current Egyptian views on the afterlife.

The $20 timed-admission ticket includes a dessert reception, access to the treasures of the special exhibit and the presentations. A bonus benefit of the ticket price for Calvin alumni and friends is full use of the museum, from the carousel to Gaslight Village and the many ongoing exhibits at Van Andel Museum Center. Please join us on our tour of ancient Egypt — and bring your friends!

$20 per person covers your special access to the Treasures of Kings and Pharaohs (at a designated time on the ticket) and dessert reception.

Space is limited — reservations limited to 750 individuals!
Reservations are due by January 27, 2006

Phone: 616.526.6142
Fax: 616.526.7069
E-mail: cat@calvin.edu