Afghanistan Archaeological Treasures - Opening this Weekend in Washington DC

Looking for something to do downtown this Memorial Day 2008 long weekend? Here's a really interesting exhibit opening at the Washington DC National Gallery of Art.

For the first time ever, the U.S. is exhibiting Afghanistan's re-discovered ancient archaeological treasures dating back to 4,000 years in a 17-month nationwide tour, called Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.

Organized by National Geographic and the National Gallery of Art, in cooperation with National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul, the show is officially kicks off on Sunday, May 25, 2008 at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. and will run its tour through Houston, San Francisco and New York, ending on September 20, 2009. According to sources, National Geographic struck a $1 million deal with the Afghanistan government to bring these artifacts to the U.S.

As part of the opening ceremonies for the exhibition on May 25th, the National Gallery of Art will feature a special presentation about children's songs in Afghanistan, which will include a performance by Washington, D.C.–area Afghan-American children. The songs are from the songbook, Qu Qu Qu Barg-e-Chinaar , which is a compilation of children's songs, discovered much like the hidden treasures that were found in the vault of the Kabul Museum in 2003. In late 2001, Louise Pascale, a former United States Peace Corps volunteer, was the one who searched for and found the worn and faded original copy of the songbook, which she had created back in the 1960s along with the help of Afghan poets and musicians.

Our own local Trivision Studios, in Chantilly, Virginia, was instrumental behind the design and production of the songbook, which can be ordered by calling National Geographic Books at 1-800-842-6002 (mailorder@nga.gov) or TriVision Studios at 1-888-600-5528.

Trivision Studios offers international, national and local (based in metro-Washington DC) Marketing and Communications services to businesses, organizations and entertainers.