Zahi Hawass

The west coast premiere of Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt, featuring the largest collection of its kind ever assembled, was a historic and enlightening exhibit. More than 150 priceless artifacts illuminating the life of Cleopatra VII, one of the most provocative and powerful women in history, including colossal statues, jewelry, coins, and handwritten notes from her lost palace in Alexandria are on display at the California Science Center.

The story of her life and time unfolds in a dramatic setting with high definition multimedia and original soundscapes, including a complimentary audio tour, provided to you, making the exhibition a rich, multisensory experience. A 4-minute movie opens the exhibition. You are introduced to the parallel stories of Dr. Zahi Hawass and Franck Goddio, who are leading searches for Cleopatra VII from the sands of Egypt to the depths of the Mediterranean Sea.

As soon as the movie ends, you encounter a statue of a Ptolemaic queen, perhaps Cleopatra. You also begin your audio tour, provided to you as part of the exhibition experience and narrated by the “voice of Cleopatra,” who leads you through her life and times.

In this gallery, you are transported to the site of the ruins of ancient Alexandria, lost beneath the sea centuries ago. Here, Franck Goddio is leading an underwater excavation to recover artifacts from Cleopatra’s empire. Beneath the walkway, you can see amphora from the 5^th Century B.C. along with other artifacts.

Cleopatra immerses you in the experience of two present-day searches, on both land and sea, for the elusive queen. The most dominant artifacts in this gallery space are two 16-foot tall colossal figures of a Ptolemaic king and queen from the Temple of Amon at Heracleion.

The artifacts weigh in at about 30 tons in total.

Upon exiting, you gaze upon a larger-than-life headless sculpture of a female body, dressed as the goddess Isis that represents a queen from the Ptolemaic period.

To enhance the your experience during the run of Cleopatra, the Science Center IMAX Theater will be featuring Mysteries of Egypt. The National Geographic film transports you to a distant time and place with spectacular imagery and a compelling story.

Beginning May 23, Mysteries of Egypt will show daily at 10:30 am, 1:30 and 3:30 pm, with additional shows Saturday and Sunday at 5:30 pm. Combo tickets for the exhibition and Mysteries of Egypt or any IMAX film are available.

The final gallery is devoted to images of Cleopatra through the years in art and popular culture. Artists have tried to capture the essence of Cleopatra in a multitude of art forms throughout history, from paintings to films. But so far, the real last queen of Egypt has eluded everyone.

WHAT: Cleopatra Exhibition
WHERE: California Science Center | 700 Exposition Park Drive | Los Angeles, CA 90037
WHEN: May 23 – December 31, 2012 | 10 am – 5 pm

CONTACT INFO: (232) 724-3623

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The timeless legend of Cleopatra has captivated the world for centuries. She has been immortalized by Renaissance artists, had numerous plays and books written about her and in modern times has been glamorized on the silver screen. Yet we only know a fragment of her real story. Now, for the first time ever, the real story of Egypt‘s most famous queen comes to life. Visit the California Science Center for an up close and personal history lesson and learn about the woman who ruled the men who ruled the world.

Cleopatra became the queen of Egypt in 51 B.C. At the tender age of seventeen she was thrust into power over a country on the verge of crumbling under the mighty Roman Empire. She charmed and seduced two of ancient Rome’s most powerful leaders, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and bore children with both of them. Then, barely two decades after coming to power she took her own life. Still, the full story of Cleopatra’s enigmatic life has yet to be solved. Who was Cleopatra? What, and whom, did she hold dear? Was she truly an exotic beauty? In Cleopatra: The Exhibition, we are now one step closer to unraveling her story.

Come discover more than 150 priceless Egyptian artifacts that had been swallowed by the sand and sea after a series of earthquakes and tsunamis nearly 2,000 years ago. This dramatically staged 13,000-square-foot exhibit features the largest collection of Cleopatra-are artifacts ever assembled in the U.S. Unearthed by two of the world’s leading archaeologists Franck Goddio and Zahi Hawass, the exhibition features colossal statues, jewelry, and coins from Cleopatra’s lost palace in Alexandria, and reveals the excavation process involved in recovering these hidden treasures. Walk among towering monuments and glittering jewels that may have been part of the queen’s daily life. Learn how these Egyptian relics reveal mysteries of this past era. A complimentary audio tour, told in her voice, provides compelling insights into Cleopatra’s time.

Enhance your Egyptian experience by seeing Mysteries of Egypt on the seven-story IMAX screen—the largest in Los Angeles. Explore a fascinating empire that began some 5,000 years ago with native Egyptian and legendary actor Omar Sharif. Soar over the great pyramids of Giza, rush over the Nile, cross the deathly quiet Valley of the Kings, and descend into the shadowy chambers of the sacred tomb of King Tutankhamun. Watch as ancient Egypt comes to life on our IMAX screen.

Immerse yourself in this amazing world that has been shrouded by layers of history, and join in the never ending search to unlock the myth of Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt.

WHAT: Cleopatra Exhibition
WHEN: May 23 – December 31, 2012 | 10 am – 5 pm
WHERE: California Science Center | 700 Exposition Park Drive | Los Angeles, CA 90037

CONTACT INFO: (232) 724-3623

Click here for ticket information.

Dear reader,

Find what you’re looking for or discover something new with the social calendar.

Thank you!

Mr. Events.

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Cleopatra Exhibit At The California Science Center