Terracotta Warriors Take over The National Geographic!

This exhibition of the Terracotta Warriors at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th Street NW, closes March 31^st.  Adult tickets on weekends are $12.00.  However, discounted tickets are available at $6.00 if you are willing to go during the week at 2:00pm or later.  To get these tickets, go to Ticketplace. com or Goldstar.com.  If you want to avoid the annoying fees from those two services, however, just show up at the Museum and/or call them at 202-857-7700 during regular business hours; mention the code “Daytime Warrior” to get the deal; I just walked over to The Geographic on February 23^rd and had no problem.  The Geographic is discounting tickets after 2:00pm during the week because not many people are going then.  I would not wait until just before the exhibition closes because all the procrastinators are bound to show up then and it will again be crowded.

The Terracotta Warriors, in case you have been living in a closet, were found buried in Xi’an, China, in 1974.  There are various pits around Xi’an.  The warriors were buried almost 2,000 years ago as part of the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi.  He conquered all of what were called the “Warring States”.  His empire did not last long and was undone by his weak heir as well as his successors.  In short order a new dynasty replaced his.  The mound thought to be the tomb of the emperor himself has still not been excavated and the exhibition said there are currently no plans to do so.  Wouldn’t we all like to know what is in that mound?

The first emperor was obsessed with his afterlife; he also was obsessed with his safety, as he had survived various assassination attempts.  The Terracotta Warriors were created to guard him in the afterlife. In addition to the warriors, there were other attendants buried with the emperor to serve him--even a strongman to entertain him.  Each statue is individual with different facial features and clothing.  The explanations at the Geographic were superb. The show also contains some impressive models of chariots built at half scale.  This archeological find certainly provides a window into China's remote past and we are fortunate to be able to sample it now in Washington, DC.  Interestingly, though, none of the statues were of women.

To tell the truth, I was not anxious to see the show because I had seen one of the same name in Vienna, Austria, in 2007.  I assumed it was the same disappointing show.  I was wrong!  This show is wonderful.  Who knows if I will ever get to China to see the burial pits?  At least I could get an idea of this wonderful archeological find from the Geographic show.

For anyone interested in history, this show is a must.  In fact, due to the explanations, I would even suggest it to those who had traveled to China or preparing for such a trip.  Just a great show.

The hours on the show are 10:00am to 6:00pm on Weekdays with extended hours on weekends and on Wednesday evening.  Check the website for further details.  The website has good videos and articles that will prepare you for your visit.  At the Geographic there was also a special information sheet to help children enjoy the show.  Most weekend days are entirely sold out.  The show is in two parts, so make sure you see both parts.  There is the usual museum shop with tschotskes from the show (and, of course, souvenir t-shirts). 

If you want a laugh, see the warriors rapping!