For release: February 16, 2011
For press information, contact Dr. Patricia Podzorski, 901-678-2649

Designed to introduce children to the art and culture of ancient Egypt in a fun and creative environment, Family Day will let kids write their name in hieroglyphs, draw like an Egyptian, make a copy of an ancient Egyptian amulet, or color a mask while learning about ancient Egyptian gods. Special tours of the Egyptian exhibition at the Art Museum will be offered, and stories from ancient Egypt will be presented.

The popular “School for Scribes” will be available again this year. In an intensive one-hour workshop, older children and adults will learn about the ancient Egyptian language, how the ancient Egyptian language was rediscovered, and the role that the famous Rosetta Stone played in that discovery. To participate, children must be at least 10 years old. (Because the class size for the “School for Scribes” is limited, reservations are required; call 901-678-2649.)

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Free parking is available in the Central Avenue parking lot.  Paid parking is available in the Fogelman garage on Innovation Drive, south of Central Avenue and east of Patterson Street.

The Art Museum is located on the first floor of the Communication and Fine Arts Building, Room 142, on the U of M campus.

The Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology and the Art Museum of the University of Memphis (AMUM) maintain the largest public collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the Mid-South. More than 150 objects are on display, representing 4,000 years of ancient Egyptian history. Exhibits include mummies, royal statuary, amulets, jewelry, tomb furnishings, and items from everyday life.

More information is available online at www.memphis.edu/egypt/familyday.php or by phone at 901-678-2649.