ACCIDENTAL MUMMIES of GUANAJUATO • Now Through April 11, 2010
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The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato Touring Exhibition To Make World Debut
in Detroit
Exhibition Features 36 Accidental Mummies Never Seen Before in the United States Detroit Kicks Off
Three-Year U.S. Tour
They were miners, fathers, soldiers, farmers and children. They are revered by their descendents and have been visited by millions. They are rare, shocking…and completely accidental. Now, for the first time, they are in the United States at the Detroit Science Center for a limited engagement before touring six other U.S. destinations from 2010-2012 as part of the all-new touring exhibition The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato.
Featuring 36 accidental mummies on loan from the Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato, the 10,000 square-foot exhibition combines science, history and cultural anthropology to immerse the visitor in the world of a Mexican city over 100 years ago where deceased residents naturally mummified in their crypts.
Only 1 in 100 bodies buried in Guanajuato experiences this rare and mysterious process of natural mummification. Unlike bodies that were “artificially” mummified through an embalming and wrapping process, accidental mummies form only in certain climates and conditions.
Local legend held that the bodies in Guanajuato became mummified because the area’s water is rich in minerals and sulfur. However researchers believe that the hot weather warmed the crypts and dried out the bodies. The Guanajuato collection is believed to be the largest group of mummies anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.
Visitors to the exhibition will meet some of these accidental mummies, learn about life in their thriving community, discover the modern-day forensic technology that helps scientists analyze them, and explore a culture that reveres and celebrates them. Each mummy will tell his or her own story, with facial reconstructions completed by a forensic artist to give insight into their lives.
The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato is a highly educational exhibition, meeting multiple objectives found in the National Science Education Standards for grades 5-12. A complete educational guide including classroom activities, historical fun facts, a glossary and more will be available to school groups visiting the exhibition.
The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato is produced by Eekstein’s Workshop, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Detroit Science Center that creates captivating, durable, engaging exhibits and displays for museum and corporate clients, in association with Accidental Mummies Touring Company LLC.
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