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You won’t believe what just rolled in to the world’s largest children’s museum – it has no head and no feet (yet) and it is still huge!
AnubisThe jackal-headed god Anubis, believed to be the guide and protector of the dead in ancient Egypt, is being lowered into its new home in the Illinois Street parking garage adjacent to The Children’s Museum today (Monday, September 9, 2013).
The world’s largest children’s museum is well-known for its larger-than-life icons such as North America’s Largest Water Clock, Chihuly’s Fireworks of Glass, Bumblebee from the original Transformer movie. And now the five-ton, 26-ft. tall Anubis statue will greet families and children who park in the garage before they go to visit the museum.
“Iconic objects have a memorable quality that inspires those who see them,” said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. “We hope these icons initiate interesting conversation and learning moments between parents and their children and serve as wonderful family photo opportunities for years to come.”
You may recall seeing a giant statue of Anubis here before, when The Children’s Museum opened Take Me There: Egypt® and hosted King Tut in 2009. Anubis statues have traveled the world and served as the protector of King Tut’s treasures in Dallas, Atlanta, Vienna and London. He has traded in his passport and will make his permanent home right here in Indianapolis.
Anubis is associated with mummification and the protection of the dead for their journey into the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion. His name is based on his funerary role, such as He who is upon his mountain, which underscores his importance as a protector of the deceased and their tombs.
Take Me There: Egypt® will close September 15, 2013 as The Children’s Museum prepares a new exhibit, Take Me There: China®, which will open May 10, 2014.
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to creating extraordinary learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. For more information about The Children's Museum, visit www.childrensmuseum.org, follow us on Twitter @TCMIndy, Facebook.com/childrensmuseum and YouTube.
