This weekend we went to see the Terra Cotta Warriors at the National Geographic Museum in DC. The exhibit is on display there through March 31 and is the final venue of the exhibition’s four-city U.S. tour. Like everything that National Geographic does, the exhibit is amazing and beautifully done. The exhibition includes 15 terra cotta figures from the tomb of China’s First Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, who ruled from 221 B.C. to 210 B.C.
“The First Emperor’s magnificent terra cotta army is one of the great wonders of the ancient world,” said Terry Garcia, National Geographic’s executive vice president for Mission Programs. “Visitors to the National Geographic Museum will have the rare opportunity to experience one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century as they stand face-to-face with the terra cotta warriors.”
I was sorry that I didn’t realize until later that there are free screenings of the film “The Real Dragon Emperor,” featuring the latest archaeological research and imaging techniques that take viewers inside the massive tomb of Qin Shihuangdi. They are shown in National Geographic’s Grosvenor Auditorium at 12 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through the run of the exhibition. The hour-long film also will be screened on the following Saturdays: Jan. 30, Feb. 27 and March 27, at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. I think it would have given us, especially my kids, a better understanding of the enormity of the vault and the magnitude of the discovery that we couldn’t get when read about it. I did download the teacher’s guide and the exhibition e-guide which helped tremendously. Teacher’s guides are great resources that most museums provide that I try to use when we are taking our kids.
Tickets to see the exhibit are $12 for adults and $6 for children, weekends are currently sold out through January 23. I think this exhibit is a once in a lifetime opportunity for those who can’t travel to China.
*these pictures are courtesy of Elizabeth from when her family visited the exhibit, I took tons of photos with no memory card in my camera!
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