Have you always been fascinated by King Tut Well, now you can visit his tomb in the Valley of the Kings instead of just seeing his mask and sarcophagus in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Brought to the world&rsquos attention in 1922 after being unearthed, Tutankhamun (King Tut)&rsquos tomb has since been among the forefront of tourist hotspots in Egypt. With thousands of tourists pouring in each day into KV26 in the Valley of the Kings just in the 80&rsquos alone, the structure that dates back to the 1300&rsquos (BCE, of course) began to bear the ramifications of overcrowding. With scratches and bumps appearing on the walls, carbon monoxide emitted from tons of visitors breathing, dusty hallways, abrasions and exposure to moisture, they all combined to fasten the decay of the archaeological landmark.
Hence, in 2009, a joint effort took place between Egypt&rsquos Ministry of Antiquities and the Getty Conservation Institute to not only mend the damage caused but to also ensure it remained a sustainable tourist destination for the years to come.
Initially scheduled to open in 2014, the popular tourist site eventually opened its doors in early 2019 as a consequence of the Arab Spring in 2011 and political unrest in the country in 2013. The tomb now features restored wall paintings, a new viewing platform, an updated ventilation and air filtration unit along with improved lighting, signage and walkways to bring the restorations to a close.
Laurie Wong of the Getty Conservation Institute highlighted some of the challenges to artnet News, saying, "Egypt is a country where there&rsquos been quite heavy visitation levels and sites like the valley of the kings, and certainly the tomb of Tutankhamun, is a focus of mass tourism. The crux of our project was to figure out how to manage the level of visitation and then also to continue to maintain the tomb in good condition for the future."
For the history buff&rsquos out there, wall paintings depicting ancient story&rsquos, sarcophagus&rsquos and mummies are among a few of the treats on offer at King Tut&rsquos Tomb so why the wait Book your tickets to Egypt now
