Museum of Ancient Wonders
Located at 69028-B E Palm Canyon Dr, Cathedral City, CA 92234 between Big Lots and Bambino’s Pizza in Cathedral City, the Museum of Ancient Wonders opened its doors on October 26, 2019. The 7,400 square foot space was a former retail shop that was vacant for two years. Alberto Acosta, a former Broadway actor and Broadway show producer, and his partner, Mary McCabe, decided to use the space to house their museum. They have created five separate exhibitions, each devoted to a different ancient civilization.
The main 5,000 square foot gallery features reproductions of the tomb of Tutankhamun. The tomb contains artifacts of the boy-pharaoh and his life. There are 124 replicas that recreate Tut’s tomb. These are the last of the artifacts on a world tour that will end in Cairo. The accompanying custom soundtrack was composed by Acosta. See more.
The next chamber focuses on the private life of the pharaoh. This area features artifacts such as a golden shrine, royal beds, and Tut’s personal possessions. These items are the same ones that the pharaoh kept in his tomb. These items were piled in haphazard stacks when Carter’s team entered. They are the oldest artifacts in the Museum of Ancient Wonders.
The museum is also home to the largest fossil collection ever assembled. This collection contains 375 artifacts and fossils. The collection has been assembled by experts in many fields. It includes a plaster replica of the Australopithecus afarensis female partial skeleton that is kept in a climate-controlled safe at the National Museum of Ethiopia. In addition, there is a gaping T-rex mouth from the L.A. County Museum.
The Jurassic Wonders installation is free and attracts all ages. It includes an accompanying written commentary, as well as a “moon-sized” fossil display. The exhibition features four different periods, each of which is represented by a different vessel. The first period includes fossils from the Triassic period, 250 million years ago, the second period features fossils from the Jurassic period, and the third period features fossils from the Cretaceous period.
The museum plans a variety of activities and events for visitors. It is also a venue for lectures and musical performances. Visitors are also welcome to purchase paintings and sculptures for sale. The museum plans to offer free admission to families with children in the Coachella Valley through December 31, 2022. They are requesting funding from all nine city mayors in the area. To get free admission, residents must complete a survey and sign up for a registry. The completed survey will be made available to mayors and council members who participate in funding the free admission. Check this out.
