Attendance to date for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has exceeded projections by 52 per cent
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is pleased to announce that 18,324 visitors have experienced Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World in the first nine days of the exhibition’s engagement, from Saturday, June 27, 2009 to Sunday, July 5, 2009, exceeding the ROM’s attendance projections by 52 per cent. Advance bookings to the exhibition have also been unprecedented with over 5,000 advance tickets sold on Thursday July 2, alone. Until July 12, evening hours are extended until 9:30 pm, and the exhibition is less populated after 5:00 pm.
“We are very pleased that so many people have taken the unique opportunity to view these deeply significant artifacts - the earliest record of biblical patriarchs and prophets known to Judaism, Christianity and Islam,” states William Thorsell, ROM Director and CEO. “The Dead Sea Scrolls resonate on many levels. They represent a historical window into three of the world’s great religions, and are also considered one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century. We are proud to collaborate with the Israel Antiquities Authority to bring them to Toronto.”
It should also be noted that General Museum attendance as of this fiscal year (starting April 1, 2009) is on target with over 242,000 visitors.
THE EXHIBITION
Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World opened on Saturday, June 27, 2009 and runs until Sunday, January 3, 2010 in the Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall, located on Level B2 in the ROM’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. In addition to the exhibition, lectures and debates highlight the importance of the Scrolls today, presenting an opportunity for interfaith dialogue among varied traditions with shared roots.
The Dead Sea Scrolls have been the objects of great scholarly and public interest, as well as heated debate and controversy, since their discovery over 60 years ago. The ROM displays 16 authentic Dead Sea Scrolls during its six-month engagement—eight different Scrolls for each three-month period—including fragments from the books of Genesis, Deuteronomy and Psalms. The second set of Scrolls will be displayed from October 2009 to January 2010. Four fragments, never before publicly displayed, are being conserved especially for the exhibition. More than 200 artifacts loaned by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), augmented by objects from the ROM’s own renowned collections, illuminate the environment in which these ancient texts were written. For futher information on the Dead Sea Scrolls, visit the exhibition’s website at www.rom.on.ca/scrolls/index.php.
Admission to Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World is included with paid general admission and timed tickets, with a limited capacity, are available at 30-minute intervals. Adults: $28; Students and Seniors with ID: $25; Children (4 to 14 years) $15; Children 3 & under are free. Reduced admission prices to the exhibition apply during the ROM’s Half Price Friday Nights, presented by Sun Life Financial, from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm: Adults: $17; Seniors and Students: $15.50; Children $7.50; Children 3 & under are free. Exhibition viewing hours will differ from general Museum hours and include both extended hours on specific days at the beginning of the engagement as well as near its end. It should be noted that there will be days when the exhibition will not be on view. Please confirm hours online or by telephone prior to visiting. Groups of 10 or more may call ROM Group Sales at 416.586.5801 or email groupsales@rom.on.ca for information on special rates, private guided tours and themed menus. Ontario school groups should visit www.rom.on.ca/schools or call the ROM's Education Department at 416.586.5801 for information on Dead Sea Scrolls School Visits. Offered at both the elementary and secondary level, ROM Education classes offer many links to the province’s curriculum.