Viking River Sponsors Terracotta Warriors Exhibit in Atlanta

Viking River Cruises is supporting the efforts of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art to bring a display of Chinese terracotta warriors and related artifacts to Atlanta. The exhibit -- which recently ended a seven-month run at the British Museum followed by a record-breaking five-month run at the Bowers Museum in California -- opened to the public in November. It will remain at the High for more than five months before moving on to Houston’s Museum of Natural Science, then continuing to the National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall in Washington, D.C. “The First Emperor” was inspired by one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. Featuring more than 100 works, including 15 terracotta figures, the exhibition is one of the largest groups of works relating to the First Emperor ever loaned to the U.S. by the Museum of the Terracotta Army and the Cultural Relics Bureau of Shaanxi Province in Xian, China. The exhibition will provide insight into the legacy of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who reigned over a united China from 221 to 210 B.C.

“We have been taking travelers to see the terracotta army in Xian, as well as other key attractions in China, for the past five years,” said Torstein Hagen, founding chairman of Viking. “Our guests always tell us that seeing the terracotta warriors is one of the highlights of their China experience. We are thrilled to be helping Americans see some of China’s treasures that they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to see.” Viking River Cruises offers three China itineraries for 2009; each includes visits to Beijing and Shanghai and a Yangtze river cruise through the Three Gorges Area in addition to a stay in Xian to visit the terracotta army. The 12-day “Imperial Jewels of China” covers the highlights mentioned; the 16-day “China’s Cultural Delights” includes extra destinations on the Yangtze River; and the 16-day “Roof of the World” includes three days in Lhasa, Tibet.