Free admission at Bowers Museum this Sunday Nov 6, but come early for Terra Cotta Soldiers exhibit

If you have never made your way to Santa Ana's Bowers Museum, it has very educational and informative exhibits and seem to have a long connection with China and a particular interest in the terra cotta soldiers from Xian, China.  Back in the 1980s, we visited the archeological site and there was little written in English.  I haven't been to the new museum in Xian, but this should be a pretty exciting exhibit for free!  This Sunday, and each first Sunday of the month, Bowers opens its door to everyone, but come earlier rather than later to avoid the crowds.

You can also download the audiotour ahead of time prior to the visit - see the link below.  The long teacher's packet is one of the best I have seen.  Check the links below.

A recent Secrets of the Dead program featured the mysteries of how these soldiers were created (did you know they were all brightly painted originally before exposure to air?)?

Come earlier as the first 1500 visitors will get free admission (usually $14 - $23) to this special exhibit. Parking is free and Kidseum is also free on the first Sunday of each month, thanks to Target.

http://www.bowers.org/index.php/visit/directions (free parking)

http://www.bowers.org/files/TCWTeacherCurriculumGuide.pdf (for the earlier related exhibit)

http://www.bowers.org/index.php/learn/k12 (for all exhibits, including previous ones)

Enter the great tombs and temples of the powerful, and the cunning men and women who ruled imperial China. ``Warriors, Tombs and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy`` is a landmark exhibition drawn from China’s most important archaeological excavations assembled in cooperation with seven leading Chinese institutions.

WARRIORS, TOMBS AND TEMPLES: CHINA`S ENDURING LEGACYSATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 - SUNDAY, MARCH 04, 2012 Follow this exhibition through the underworld empires of three of the most formative dynasties in Chinese history: the Qin, the Han and the Tang, each a high point of culture and technology, looked back to with pride by Chinese people and admired by others today. The treasures that accompanied China’s rulers and elites in the afterlife, and the spectacular gold and silver offerings placed in their temples, speak to the incredible accomplishments of an ancient culture whose descendants still live on today. The exhibition features the famous life-size terra cotta warriors, protector of China’s first emperor Qin Shihuangdi, whose mausoleum complex is considered the eighth wonder of the world. Newly excavated, the painted garments and armor are clearly visible thanks to new conservation techniques. Smaller in scale but equally impressive are some of the more than 40,000 smiling terra cotta warriors from the imperial tomb compounds of Han emperors Gaozu and Jingdi. They are presented in combination with concubines, animals and a multitude of objects that insured a lavish and comfortable afterlife. The royal and elite tombs from the Tang Dynasty were stocked with riches clearly tied to the trade of exotic goods along the Silk Road. Dazzling gold ornaments, tomb guardians, a mural depicting a game of polo and many other luxuries illustrate the taste of Tang elites and the era’s connection with the West. And, for the first time in the United States, come gold, silver and gemstone treasures deposited into the treasure-crypt of the Famen Monastery by six Tang Dynasty emperors and China’s only female emperor Wu Zhao. This important Buddhist site, sealed in 874 of the Tang Dynasty and rediscovered in 1987, was founded with the fragment of the historical Buddha’s finger bone. The reliquaries associated with the sacred relic are part of this exhibition. DOWNLOAD THE WARRIORS AUDIO TOUR FROM iTUNES and bring it with you on your favorite mobile device.

http://www.bowers.org/index.php/visit/hours_and_tickets

MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Open until 8:00 PM on Thursday, November 3rd, 10th and 17th.

Warriors, Tombs and Temples: China’s Enduring LegacyWarriors, Tombs and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy is a specially ticketed and timed exhibition. This hour long tour includes a richly narrated audio guide that transports visitors to the splendor of three of China’s most influential dynasties.

	Tue/Wed/Thur	Fri/Sat/Sun
ADULTS SENIORS (AGE 62+) STUDENTS (18+) CHILDREN (6-17) CHILDREN UNDER 6 TOUR TIMES	$21 $14 $14 $12 FREE 1PM & 2PM	$23 $19 $19 $14 FREE 11AM (Sat/Sun only);
		1PM & 2PM