From News Desk

Discovery Park of America has announced that “Genghis Khan: Beyond the Empire,” a major international traveling exhibition that will transform approximately 4,000 square feet of the museum into the world of 13th-century Mongolia, will open to the public June 15 and remain on display through Sept. 7, 2027. A special preview for members and the media will take place June 14, 2027.

“Genghis Khan – Beyond the Empire” is presented by premier sponsor Leaders Credit Union.

“This exhibition is about discovery in the truest sense of the word,” said Scott Williams, President and CEO, Discovery Park of America. “It will give our guests the opportunity to experience Mongolian culture through its art, music, traditions, objects and stories. I know visitors will leave with a much richer understanding of a part of the world and a time in history they may know very little about. That kind of encounter with another culture is exactly what Discovery Park is all about.”

Arriving at Discovery Park in three 53-foot trucks and requiring nearly two weeks to install, “Genghis Khan: Beyond the Empire” will feature more than 300 artifacts, dramatic full-scale environments, immersive projections, documentary films, interactive touch screens, role-playing experiences and a life-size open Mongolian ger. A ger is a traditional portable, round felt tent used by nomads in Central Asia, commonly known as a yurt. It features a wooden accordion frame wrapped in layers of felt and canvas, designed to withstand harsh winds and cold temperatures on the steppes.

Adding an extraordinary living-culture dimension to the exhibition, Mongolian artists will be in residence at Discovery Park throughout the exhibition, presenting live performances daily. Mongolian artists will share traditional instrumental music, throat singing and other cultural traditions and will engage directly with visitors to discuss their instruments, clothing, art and life in Mongolia.

The exhibition takes visitors beyond the familiar image of Genghis Khan as a feared conqueror to explore the man, the people and the culture behind one of the most consequential empires in world history. Guests will travel from the grasslands of Mongolia and the rise of Genghis Khan’s armies to the walled city of Karakorum, the Silk Road and the palace world of his grandson Kublai Khan.

“Leaders Credit Union is proud to continue our partnership with Discovery Park of America by helping bring this extraordinary exhibition to West Tennessee,” said Leigh Anne Bentley, Chief Marketing Officer at Leaders Credit Union. “Discovery Park creates opportunities for families and students to learn, explore and experience the world in new ways. Supporting ‘Genghis Khan: Beyond the Empire’ reflects our shared commitment to making meaningful educational and cultural experiences available to the communities we serve.”

Artifacts documented in the touring collection span centuries of Mongolian and Eurasian history and include swords, bows and arrows, armor, helmets, ceramics, religious objects, traditional clothing, horse equipment, musical instruments and household items. Among notable objects documented in the collection are weapons and armor dating to the height of the Mongol Empire, including a sword dating to approximately 1225, during Genghis Khan’s lifetime; a Mongolian sword dated 1260; a recurved bow from about 1300; horseman’s armor from about 1300; and a bronze firearm dated 1328.

The exhibition was organised by author and Dino Don, President Don Lessem, with curatorial consultation from Dr William Fitzhugh of the Smithsonian Institution and Dr. Morris Rossabi of Columbia University. It was developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

“Discovery Park is exactly the kind of museum for which this exhibition was created,” Lessem said. “It combines history, culture, art, technology and unforgettable experiences in a way that can inspire a child seeing a Mongolian warrior for the first time, a student studying world history or an adult who wants to better understand how events 800 years ago continue to influence the world today.”

“Genghis Khan: Beyond the Empire” will be open to Discovery Park members and the media for a special preview on June 14th, 2027; and to the public on June 15th-Sept 7th, 2027.