Grandpa was in town and we were looking for something new to do which would appeal to our group of three generations. We decided to take a drive downtown to Union Station in Kansas City, MO to see Mummies of the World: the Exhibition. Whether you think mummies are eerie or cool, you will find this exhibition intriguing.  Mummies - Who were they? Where did they come from? And what can they teach us? Visit the exhibit to find out!
Did you know that mammals can be mummified by natural environmental causes, such as extreme cold, very low humidity or lack of air? The environmental conditions keep the the body preserved so it doesn't decompose. The first part of Mummies of the World provided scientific explanations and examples of these situations.  We all found the natural mummification gallery very informative.Â
When you think of mummies, does the Egyptian culture come to mind?Â
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The Egyptian culture did practice intentional mummification. But not all mummies come from Egypt. Mummies have come from every continent. The exhibit displays mummies from Egypt, South America and Europe. Scientists have studied mummies to learn extraordinary details about their lives, history and cultures. Â Interactive displays explain how decomposition happens and the scientific methods and tools, like X-Rays, CT scans and DNA analysis are used. Â The hands-on interactive stations, multi-media and 3-D animation are all fabulous.Â
Through the Burns Collection we learned that mummies were used to teach anatomy in the early 1800's. We breezed through this section as most of our group got a little disturbed seeing the medical specimens.
The "Maryland Mummy," or MUMAB, was a scientific project. In 1994 scientists used a donated body to create a modern day ancient mummy using the same techniques as the Egyptians. The video about this process was amazing. MUMAB is displayed with a collection of replicas of objects of artifacts that the dead would have taken to the afterlife.Â
The exhibit section on the Orlovits family contains a part of a group of 18th century mummies discovered in Vác, Hungary in 1994. Two long-forgotten burial crypts dating back to 1674 and sealed in 1838 were discovered. Father, mother and child mummies are on display.
The von Holz display contains real examples of natural mummification. The Baron von Holz, a 17th century nobleman, was discovered in the family crypt underneath a church in a late 14th century castle. The bodies of five people mummified naturally due to the environmental conditions. Baroness Schenck von Geiern is also part of the exhibition.Â
Mummies of the World: The Exhibition is extremely fascinating and well done! The exhibition will be at Union Station through 2017. But don't wait. The Kansas City summer heat is a perfect reason to take your family downtown to the air conditioned indoors! I would recommend this outing for families with children 8+. For tickets, visit www.unionstation.org or have a chance at entering to win a family four-pack below. We couldn't resist our family keepsake too.
* I received complimentary tickets to review this exhibit. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
Enter to win a family four pack of tickets to see Mummies of the World: The Exhibition. Valid for after Sunday, July 16, 2017
1. You must be a Macaroni Kid KCK subscriber, or sign up now (one entry per email address)
