My 1972 visit to the Tutankhamun Exhibition at the British Museum was undoubtedly what first stimulated my interest in Egyptology.
I vividly remember that day. My father took my brother Bill and me from our home in Shrewsbury by train to London Euston.
Before joining the perpetually long queue, we were treated to a quick lunch at the Dorchester Hotel, but not without a little bit of drama. As my dad was not wearing a tie at the time, much to our amusement, we were not permitted to enter the flamboyant dining room. However, to overcome this hurdle, the hotel offered him a spare, which they presumably kept aside for guests forgetful of their strict dress code.
In January that year, the carefully selected array of exhibits was transported from Cairo’s National Museum and shipped to London on two civilian flights and one Royal Airforce flight. Among these fabulous treasures, which had been discovered by Howard Carter some 50 years previously, were Tutankhamun’s iconic gold death mask, strategically positioned within a secure glass case and deservedly the ultimate, anchor, showpiece.
Queen Elizabeth II finally opened the Exhibition on 29th March that year, and over 30,000 people patiently lined up to view the artifacts in the first week (including us!)
I have since been lucky enough to see the entire collection on numerous occasions while visiting Cairo. We would often stay at the then-Nile Hilton and stroll across to the beautiful French-designed red stone National Museum building in neighboring Tahrir Square.
Maybe it was here that the initial seed was planted, and the plot for George Drake and his trusty league actually began to unfold?
Have you seen the Tutankhamun exhibit? Share your memories in the comments!