How to see Penn Museum's Sphinx before it disappears for four years | PennLive.com

https://www.pennlive.com/life/2018/06/the_sphinx_at_the_penn_museum.html

How to see Penn Museum's Sphinx before it disappears for four years

Updated Jun 21, 2:32 PM; Posted Jun 21, 2:31 PM

The Penn Museum, part of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. It's home to artifacts from ancient Egypt as well as cultures in Asian, Central America and Africa. Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com(Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com)

By Julia Hatmaker

jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Prepare to say farewell to Penn Museum's Sphinx... at least for now.

The 13-ton red granite sculpture is about to undergo conservation work while its home is renovated and transformed into the new Ancient Egypt and Nubia Galleries.

The last day for public viewing of the Sphinx will be July 8. The public won't be able to see the Sphinx again for the next four to six years, the time estimated it will take to complete the gallery renovation.

Guests will still be able to get their Egypt fix at the museum during the renovation, as the Penn Museum's third floor Egyptian Galleries will remain open. Those include the "Egyptian Mummies: Secrets and Science" and "The Artifact Lab: Conservation in Action" exhibitions.

The Sphinx came to the Penn Museum in 1913. It's the largest Sphinx in the western hemisphere and the sixth largest in the world. The Sphinx has decidedly ancient, and dates back to 1293 BCE.  

Not ready to say goodbye just yet?

There are plenty of chances to see the sphinx before July 9. Penn Museum is participating in the Wawa Welcome America Free Museum Day on June 29.

There will also be a special "See You Later" weekend dedicated to the sphinx on July 7 and 8, which includes a chance to have your photo taken with the Sphinx by a professional photographer for a Sphinx-related keepsake. Penn Museum encourages guests to share their own photos of and with the Sphinx using the hashtag #sphinxtales. Photos that tag @pennmuseum may be featured on the Penn Museum site.

The Sphinx's vacation is tied in to the Penn Museum's "Building Transformation" campaign, which is expected to continue through 2019 and see the renovation and reimagining of the Africa Galleries, Mexico and Central America Gallery and Asian Galleries. New elevators, public restrooms and the installation of air conditioning in the Harrison Auditorium are also part of the campaign.

The first part of the transformation, the launching of the new Middle East Galleries, was finished in April.

The Penn Museum is located at 3260 South St. in University City in Philadelphia. Admission to the museum is $15 for adults, $13 for senior citizens and $10 for children (6-17) and full-time college students. It is free for active U.S. military personnel and children 5 and under. For more information on the museum visit penn.museum.

--   Sent from my Linux system.