After being viewed by about 200,000 visitors, the Cyrus Cylinder is now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art at in New York — the largest art museum of the western hemisphere. Mayor Bloomberg sent a welcome letter on the occasion of the arrival of the Cyrus Cylinder in New York, and thanked the British Museum and the Iran Heritage Foundation for bringing this exhibition to the city.

In addition to the Cyrus Cylinder and the 16 other objects from the British Museum, the exhibition features objects from the Metropolitan Museum of Art from the same period or referencing Cyrus the Great. This is a unique aspect of the exhibition at the Met — called The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: Charting a New Empire. The exhibition is displayed within the galleries of Ancient Near Eastern Art, where objects from the permanent collection—including the famous lions from Babylon—will provide a stunning backdrop. Also on display will be works of art from the Metropolitan’s Department of Drawings and Prints and Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts that celebrate Cyrus and his legacy as a liberal and enlightened ruler.

The opening was kicked off with a press event with remarks delivered by Dr. Thomas Campbell, Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Dr. John Curtis, the Keeper of Special Middle East Projects at the British Museum and the curator of the exhibition. In the afternoon, Dr. Curtis delivered a public talk which was attended by an audience of more than 350, followed by the opening reception of the exhibition at the museum.

The exhibition will be on display through August 4th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, Sotheby’s arranged a dinner celebrating the arrival of the Cyrus Cylinder in NYC. The dinner was elegant and the dinner space was beautifully decorated with contemporary art. The guests were welcomed by Lisa Dennison, Sotheby’s Chairman of Americas, and Alireza Rastegar, Chairman of IHF America: