China's Terracotta Warriors at the British Museum

In 1972, 1.7 million people queued for hours outside the British Museum to see the BIG exhibition that everyone wanted to see - Tutankhamun. I very much suspect the new exhibition of China's Terracotta Army also at the British Museum will become the same sort of momentous event which has a major impact on a generation of children and their families - not to mention all of us who go to see the exhibition with them!

Image: Terracotta Army. Exhibition in Gdynia, Poland, August 2006).
(Source: Wikimedia/photo © 2006 by Tomasz Sienicki )

Over 135,000 tickets have already been sold before it even opens today at the British Museum which apparently nets the Museum some £2m as well as setting a new record in box office sales for an exhibition in London.

The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army explores one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century, giving an insight into China’s First Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, and his legacy.

The exhibition includes a number of the world-famous terracotta warriors from Xi'an, China, which were buried alongside the First Emperor in readiness for the afterlife, as well as some of the most striking recent discoveries made on the site.
British Museum website

Image: Mausolum of the First Qin Emperoror, UNESCO World Heritage Site (Source: Wikimedia)

Of course in 1972, the Terracotta Army hadn't even been discovered. They were found in March 1974 were they were buried with the Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huangdi) in 210-209 BC. Each is individually sculpted. Excavations have continued following the initial discovery and excavation and yet more discoveries have been made

Hiromi Kinoshita, the curator of the exhibition, said visitors were likely to be surprised by the exhibition, which will include a dozen statues and other artefacts
"What many people may not realise is that excavations have continued, and there are new, recent discoveries of fabulous life-size terracotta acrobats, civil officials, bronze birds, and of stone arms. It's these new discoveries that we would like to concentrate on," she said.
BBC China's Terracotta Army on the Move

The image shows the warriors at the original site of the mausoleum and excavation.

The famous Reading Room has been adapted to take the exhibition and I understand that 20 of life sized statues will on view. The Museum estimates it can take up to 500,000 with late night openings - so I wouldn't delay making a booking if you want to see it.

I've included links to some of the media coverage for the exhibition below - the consensus seems to be this is going to be a blockbuster.

However, it's likely that the exhibition will have some competition as Tutankhamun And The Golden Age of the Pharaohs opens at the former Millennium Dome in November. But the Dome is less accessible from central London and the exhibition is apparently going to have the highest entrance charge ever for such an event and won't actually include the very famous golden mask of the boy king as it's too fragile to travel!

I'm afraid I'm not in the least bit impressed with the current website for this particular event. It makes it look like a major new event straight from Las Vegas will be arriving across the river from my home in 63 days time! (It's also very weird seeing the buildings I can see from my home superimposed with a glitzy Tutankhamum frontage!)

Call me a cultural snob if you like but I like efforts to part me from my money to be rather less OTT and a bit more refined! Which means I'll be making my trek up to Bloomsbury rather than across the river. I'd love to go and draw the terracotta warriors and the other artifacts - all I need to do now is try and work out when it's going to be quiet!

Exhibition details

• The First Emperor - China's Terracotta Army - website
• 13 September 2007 - 6th April 2008. Open Daily 10.00–17.30 (last entry 16.30). Open late Thursdays – Saturdays until 20.30 (last entry 19.30)
• Exhibition overview
• programme of events
• programme of events Autumn 2007
  
• resources for schools and teachers
  
• Exhibition tickets
  
• 500 tickets will be released at 09.45 each day, to buy in person at the Ticket Desk in the Great Court
• (timed entry/£12) book tickets online on the website or telephone +44 (0)20 7323 8181
  

Media coverage

• The Guardian Online - The Tip of the Terracotta Iceberg
• Times Online - Terracotta Army awaits British Hordes
  
• International Herald Tribune - Chinese Warriors Sweep into Britain
• AFP - China's Terracotta Army invades Britain
  
• archeology.about.com - Emperor Qin's Terracotta Army

Other sources

• UNESCO World Heritage Site - Mausoleum of the first Qin Emperor
• Wikipedia -
  
• Terracotta Army
• Qin Shi Huang - the First Emperor
• State of Qin
  
• Wikimedia - images of the Terracotta Army