Embarking on a field trip to connect their in-class learning with physical experiences, AP Art History students will be visiting the “Discovering King Tut’s Tomb” exhibit at the Luxor Hotel and Casino on Jan. 30. The activity is intended to branch away from lectures to explore physical art pieces and replicas related to the course. 

“Students do a lot of different readings on art history and specifically, 250 pieces of art that by College Board, have been deemed as important or influential pieces of art throughout history,” AP Art History teacher Levi Harbeson said. “Out of those 250 pieces there is a replica in town at the King Tut exhibit at the Luxor, which is where we’ll be going to see examples and replications of ancient Egyptian art as well as a replica of one of the 250 pieces.”

Having prior knowledge of the exhibit, Harbeson shares how the activity is fitting for the class.

“I’ve been to the exhibit a couple of times and I thought it would be a cool way to break up the class so it’s not a boring lecture every day,” Harbeson said. “We can go, see and experience art, which I think is so important to art history and just art in general, art should be experienced.”

While observing and interacting with the art, students will complete an activity alongside it. 

“I want them to see the art and the portrayal of it,” Harbeson said. “We have everything set around us and in this tacky, gaudy, borderline stereotypical Egyptian building which is not a representation of the culture, but we will be looking at real pieces that have inspired it. That is one of the things I hope that they can connect with: how art from thousands of years ago influenced art and entertainment today, here in Las Vegas which is really cool.”

Many of the attendees of the field trip have yet to experience the exhibit for the first time and are looking forward to what the art has to offer. This hands-on experience will give students a variety of ways to learn and connect back to their class lectures. 

“I’m excited to see how we can relate it back to class and how King Tut’s tomb is related and overall just see all the cool artifacts that are involved,” senior Taylor Palmira said. “It’ll help to give a physical example of what we’ve been talking about so we can actually see what time period it’s from, the colors used, and the overall vibe of it all.”