terra cotta warriors

Terra Cotta Warriors of the First Emperor at the Franklin Institute

park disc

For a while now, we’ve been Franklin Institute regulars. The recurring exhibits are always fun and packed with things to do. I grew up running around the giant heart and learning all about the body. We never tire of visiting them. What we really love to see most are the new exhibits that roll through for a time and this time was no exception.

terra cotta warriors

The minute my husband saw the sign for Terra Cotta Warriors of the First Emperor, he was sold. “We are going to that. We have to.” We missed one he was dying to go to a few years ago and I still haven’t lived it down. We had to get over to the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit before it was too late!

terra cotta warriors

The Terra Cotta Warriors of the First Emperor is an absolutely amazing archaeological discovery in China: thousands of life-sized statues guarding the tomb of the first emperor. These statues are over 2,000 years old and using these historical artifacts, the exhibit tells all about the life in China at that time. The exhibit also features 160 other artifacts like weapons, armor, pottery, money, and other relevant pieces to that time period. Not only are you able to see them, but you can learn about the techniques that were used to create them.

I’ve never been good with learning history unless it was hands-on. Despite the fact that history is amazing, something about it made it difficult for me to listen and retain. If every lesson could be taught through exhibits at the Franklin Institute, I think my history grades would have skyrocketed. It was so cool to see my children examining these ancient artifacts and my older kids reading all about China’s first emperor. They even had the opportunity to try their own hands as archaeologists and piece smaller versions of artifacts together. It’s the type of experience that you know won’t leave their minds!

At one point, there is actually a recreation of how the burial would have looked and even a re-enactment of how the statues would have deteriorated over time. I don’t want to give away too much but this was both eerie and amazing to see. We were looking at things that were NEW over two thousand years ago. It’s surreal.

terra cotta warriors

For advanced learning about the Terra Cotta Warriors, there is actually a free app that you can access on your phone.  All you have to do is walk up and scan the Q code, and it will bring up an image on your screen.  It’s interactive and allows you to pull up items that would go with the statue, and you can zoom in on each image for a better look.  I think that would be awesome for school tours, homeschooling, or just an educational experience with the kids. My husband was accessing the app for every available statue!  It was great watching how excited he got as he pulled up each one and saved it for later!

terra cotta warriors

The clock is ticking! You have just over two weeks left to go back in time to 210 BC and experience history first-hand, don’t miss that opportunity! Take your class, your kids, or go alone to explore some of the mysteries of ancient China. This may be your only chance to walk among the relics of a forgotten age.

BUY:

Purchase tickets here to Terra Cotta Warriors of the First Emperor at the Franklin Institute before March 4th!

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*The Quirky Mom Next Door received tickets in exchange for her honest coverage of this visit. All opinions and experiences are her own only.

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