Bowers Museum to Bring Priceless Artifacts to Southern California; Viking River Cruises a Sponsor

"It has been a thrill bringing travelers toChina to see the Terra Cotta Army inXian, as well as other key attractions inChina, for the past five years," said Torstein Hagen, founding chairman of Viking. "We want to help give Americans a closer look at some of the treasuresChina offers."

"The Bowers Museum has an outstanding history of bringing the world's finest arts and cultures toSouthern California," commented Inez Wolins, Vice President of Development and Marketing for the Bowers Museum. "Our partnership with Viking River Cruises is mutually beneficial: the museum receives valuable financial and in-kind support toward the exhibition, and the corporation aligns itself with a significant national tour and wider audiences to help spread the word about their itineraries inChina. It's a win-win situation."

The Terra Cotta Army was created for Qin Shi Huang, first Emperor of China, who unified the Chinese states into a single country, worked to standardize the Chinese language, created a national road system and began construction onChina's Great Wall. During his 38-year reign, from 247 B.C. until his death in 210 B.C., he arranged for thousands of workers to construct an elaborate mausoleum for him, complete with an army to allow him to rule in the afterlife. After his death he was interred with his clay army and a vast collection of riches. Soon a peasant revolt swept throughChina and eradicated all traces of his reign, including the tomb; eventually even the legends about it were forgotten. Then, in 1974, local farmers digging a well came upon a terra cotta head, thus discovering a nearly 2,200-year-old archeological treasure.

Viking River Cruises, founded in 1997, began offering "cruisetours" in China in 2004. Each of these journeys includes a special trip toXian to see the mausoleum where some 8,000 Terra Cotta Warriors were buried thousands of years ago. Travelers enter a large hanger erected over the archeological site and view the terra cotta infantrymen, archers and horses from a series of catwalks, thus enjoying the large scale of the site as well as the opportunity to appreciate the craftsmanship and individualized detail applied to each of the faces.

"Seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors is one of the highlights of all ourChina itineraries," Hagen continued. "But for those who have not yet been able to travel toChina to view the Terra Cotta Army, the Bowers exhibit will provide an idea of the incredible workmanship that went into creating it. If, after exploring the exhibit, people decide to come toChina to see Emperor Qin's army andChina's many other treasures, that would be ideal," said Hagen with a smile.

Viking River Cruises offers four differentChina itineraries in 2008; each includes visits toBeijing andShanghai and a deluxe Yangtze River Cruise through the scenic Three Gorges Area in addition to a stay inXian to visit the Terra Cotta Army. The 12-day Imperial Jewels ofChina covers the highlights mentioned; the 16-dayChina's Cultural Delights includes extra days on the Yangtze River traveling to rarely seen but fascinating destinations; the 17-day Silk Road Adventure follows in the footsteps of Marco Polo and other explorers to multicultural destinations like Turpan, Kashgar and Urumqi; and the 16-day Roof of the World includes a few days in beautiful Lhasa, Tibet.

"River cruising is an extraordinary value, especially during times when the dollar is weak vis-a-vis other currencies," Hagen explained. "Guests pay for their all-inclusive itineraries in dollars, and once paid in full their price is locked in with no worries about currency fluctuations, fuel costs or price adjustments. OurChina ships are the best -- every stateroom has a private balcony and the cuisine is amazing -- and we stay in all 5-star or best-in-city hotels."

"We are proud to help a fine institution like the Bowers Museum to bring the most comprehensive exhibit of Terra Cotta Warriors and related artifacts ever seen outsideChina toCalifornia," added Hagen. "We hope many people will go to the Bowers Museum to enjoy it."

About the Bowers Museum

Founded in 1936, the Bowers Museum is an internationally celebrated institution of art and culture dedicated to the preservation, study, and exhibition of fine arts from around the world. To achieve its mission to "enrich lives through the world's finest arts and cultures," the Bowers offers exhibitions, lectures, art classes, travel programs, children's art and music education programs, and other community programs. Its guiding philosophy is to help people learn about other cultures through their arts, and offer a greater understanding of ourselves and appreciation of the world in which we live. For more information, call 714-567-3600 or visit http://www.bowers.org.

About Viking River Cruises

Viking River Cruises, the world leader in river cruising, offers quality service, gourmet cuisine and comfortable scenic cruising alongEurope,Russia andChina's majestic rivers. In addition to being honored multiple times on Conde Nast Traveler's Gold List, the company has also appeared on Travel + Leisure's "World's Best" lists several times. Travel agents have recognized Viking River Cruises as "Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising" (TravelAge West); "Best Cruise Line - River Cruise" (Recommend), and "Best River Cruise Line" by Travel Weekly. Additionally, the company was named "Best River Cruise" twice by CruiseReport.com. Since its 1997 inception, the company has grown to a fleet of 21 vessels (22 for 2009), and provides unique, affordable vacations geared toward experienced travelers with an interest in geography, culture and history. For more information, contact Viking River Cruises at 1-877-668-4546 (1-877-66VIKING) toll-free or visit http://vikingrivercruises.com.

The Bowers Museum is located at 2002 North Main Street,Santa Ana, California 92706.

SOURCE Viking River Cruises

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