Iconic Objects: The Must-See Treasures of the ROM

New Book and Interactive Kiosks Highlight Emblematic Museum Artifacts

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) announces its newest publication Iconic Objects: The Must-See Treasures of the ROM. This special souvenir booklet features 16 objects selected from the ROM’s rich collections of approximately six million artifacts and specimens by a panel of curators for their cultural importance, rarity, and contribution to international scholarship. Written by Tessa Derksen with ROM curators, this compilation of the ROM’s best is available for $5 in the ROM Museum Store and complements the Iconic Objects multi-media kiosks located throughout the Museum.

“In the same way that one would not leave the Louvre in Paris without a glimpse of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the ROM’s Iconic Objects are not to be missed. The accompanying interactive kiosks enhance the enjoyment and understanding of these significant artifacts, and demonstrate the ROM’s commitment to both an educational and delightful visit,” said William Thorsell, ROM Director and CEO.

Drawn from the Museum’s vast natural history and world cultures collections, these jewels of the ROM include: the Nisga’a and Haida totem poles, The Death of General Wolfe painting, the Chinese Temple Art mural The Paradise of Maitreya, the Tomb Mound of General Zu Dashou (“Ming Tomb”), the rare Southern White Rhinoceros, the Barosaurus (“Gordo”), Canada’s largest dinosaur on display, the duck-billed hadrosaur Parasaurolophus walkeri, the exceptionally well-preserved fossils from the Burgess Shale, the 900-carat Light of the Desert cerussite gem, the Tagish Lake Meteorite, the Bust of Cleopatra VII, the Statue of Sekhmet — one of the oldest known Egyptian deities, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Earl of Pembroke’s Armour, Kunti Sculpture (“Blue Lady”), and the Striding Lion Terracotta Relief. For more information on each of these objects, please visit www.rom.on.ca/en/collections-research/rom-channel/iconic-striding-lion

The Iconic Objects multi-media kiosks are bilingual and an enjoyable way to appreciate and learn in greater detail about the ROM’s remarkable objects on display. The use of multi-media kiosks and interactive touch screens represents the next step in the Museum’s vision for enriching the visitor experience. Through the creation of digital assets, based on the ROM’s collections, the Museum is able to increase the public’s understanding of the collections to those visiting the Museum and also of those accessing web content as one of the four million annual visitors to the ROM’s website. To enjoy watching all the Iconic Objects videos online www.rom.on.ca/en/collections-research/rom-channel/iconic-striding-lion, visit the Royal Ontario Museum’s YouTube Channel or download the ROM’s Podcasts (for free) from the iTunes Store.