Pimco

“The First Emperor’s magnificent terra cotta army is one of the great wonders of the ancient world,” said Terry Garcia, National Geographic’s executive vice president for Mission Programs. “Visitors to the National Geographic Museum will have the rare opportunity to experience one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century as they stand face-to-face with the terra cotta warriors.”

The ticketed exhibition offers an in-depth look at the First Emperor’s enormous tomb complex that contained thousands of terra cotta warriors intended to protect him in the afterlife. The exhibition showcases 15 life-size terra cotta figures and 100 sets of objects, including 20 “Level 1″ artifacts — China’s highest possible ranking in terms of rarity and importance.

“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” is co-organized by the Bowers Museum, Houston Museum of Natural Science and the National Geographic Museum, and is guest curated by Dr. Albert E. Dien, professor emeritus, Stanford University.

“Terra Cotta Warriors” is supported by American Airlines; Amtrak; Washington, D.C.’s Loews Madison Hotel; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; The PIMCO Foundation; UPS; Viking River Cruises; and WTOP.

The exhibition is supported locally by Asia Nine; Cultural Tourism DC; Destination DC; D.C. United; Hong Kong Palace; Mie N Yu; TenPenh; Union Station; Washington National Opera; The Washington Nationals; and The Washington Post.

In support of the exhibition, National Geographic has published a companion book, “Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor,” by Jane Portal, and exhibit-related merchandise is available online and in the National Geographic Museum store. A teacher’s guide can be found online via the For Teachers page at www.warriorsdc.org. A touchable terra cotta warrior replica and two kiosks featuring an interactive game are available for museum visitors to access free.

Free screenings of the film “The Real Dragon Emperor,” featuring the latest archaeological research and imaging techniques that take viewers inside the massive tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, will be shown in National Geographic’s Grosvenor Auditorium at 12 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through the run of the exhibition. The hour-long film also will be screened on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and on the following Saturdays: Nov. 28, Dec. 26, Jan. 30, Feb. 27 and March 27, at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

In addition, National Geographic will host a Chinese New Year celebration on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, presenting sponsor of the celebration, will provide complimentary tickets to the exhibition that day. Details on how to receive these tickets will be made available soon. Additional support of the Chinese New Year celebration is provided by The PIMCO Foundation.

Historian and guest curator Albert Dien will review the tumultuous era of Chinese history that saw the construction of the terra cotta army at a sold-out National Geographic Live event on Nov. 21.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Discovered after being buried for more than 2,000 years, the terra cotta warriors reveal secrets of the Qin dynasty. The warriors were found in 1974 by a group of farmers digging a well near Xi’an in China’s Shaanxi province. When archaeologists began excavating the area, they uncovered a subterranean vault containing fragments of thousands of terra cotta figures in four pits. More than 1,000 life-size figures have been unearthed as part of the site’s ongoing excavation, with estimates of 6,000 more remaining in the known underground pits.

Construction of Qin Shihuangdi’s tomb took 36 years to complete, and the tomb complex is estimated to extend more than 19 square miles. The terra cotta figures were created in assembly-line fashion, and molds were used to mass-produce hands, heads and ears. Craftsmen sculpted individual armor details and facial features by hand. It is believed that no two faces are alike.

“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” features 15 terra cotta figures, consisting of nine warriors — two infantrymen, a chariot driver, two officers, an armored warrior, two archers and a cavalryman — as well as two musicians, a strongman, a court official, a stable attendant and a horse. The exhibition showcases 100 sets of artifacts, including weapons, stone armor, coins, jade ornaments, roof tiles and decorative bricks, and a bronze crane and swan. Two replica bronze chariots will also be on display.

The 12,000-square-foot exhibition is organized into four themes. The first, “Building the Empire,” introduces visitors to Qin Shihuangdi and his formidable rule. This gallery also details the emperor’s establishment of new standards, including dictated script, coinage, weights and measures.

The second theme, “Power and Paranoia,” highlights the First Emperor’s architectural projects as he sought to create physical proof of his power. He was preoccupied with keeping his location secret, and his many dwellings, including 300 extravagant palaces and 400 lodges, allowed him to stay in a different place each night.

The third theme, “The Afterlife,” focuses on the construction of the massive underground tomb complex and the practice of burying objects with the dead to serve their spirits in an afterworld.

The final theme, “Armies Unearthed,” showcases eight of the warriors and details how the terra cotta army was created. This section also highlights the work of excavators and conservators in reconstructing and preserving the artifacts.

The exhibition began its U.S. tour at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Calif., in May 2008. The same collection of objects then visited the High Museum of Art in Atlanta from November 2008 through April 2009, under a different title and curatorial framework. “Terra Cotta Warriors” visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science from May through October 2009, before traveling to the National Geographic Museum.

The objects in the exhibition are drawn from 11 different collections in and near Xi’an, including the Museum of the First Emperor’s Terra Cotta Army and Horses, Shaanxi Provincial Institute for Archaeological Research, the Zhouzhi Museum, Baoji Museum, Xianyang Museum, Lintong Museum, Fengxiang Museum, Chencang Museum, Xi’an Institute for Archaeological Research and Protection, Baoji Archaeological Excavation Team and Xianyang Institute for Archaeological Research.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are timed and dated and can be purchased online at the Buy Tickets page of the exhibition Web site www.warriorsdc.org, by phone at (202) 857-7700, and at the National Geographic Museum ticket booth located at the exhibition’s entrance or at the National Geographic ticket office, 1600 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

The exhibition is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays until 9 p.m. The National Geographic Museum will be closed on Dec. 25.

Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, military personnel and National Geographic members; and $6 for children ages 2-12. Children under age 2 are admitted free. A companion audio tour, offered in English, Mandarin and Spanish, is available for $5.

Prices for groups of 10 or more are $8 per ticket, and K-12 school groups are $6 per person with one free adult ticket for each group of 10 students. For more information on group sales, call (202) 857-7281.

The PIMCO Foundation will provide 200 free, same-day tickets each Wednesday evening during the exhibition’s run. These tickets will be distributed at the museum at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. viewing on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limit of two tickets per person.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is offering $2 off a full-price exhibition ticket for guests at its nine D.C.-area restaurants. Guests will receive a special promotional code that can be used when purchasing tickets online, by phone or at the museum.

The National Geographic Museum’s official hotel partner, the Loews Madison Hotel, is offering a package that includes one night deluxe accommodation, two premium anytime tickets to the exhibition and a 20 percent discount at the museum gift shop, available online at www.loewshotels.com/madison. Additional hotel packages, including premium tickets for anytime access to the exhibition, are being offered at several area hotels through Destination DC’s Weekend Warriors promotion. Visit www.weekendwarriorsdc.com for details. Hotel packages are also available through AAA.

For additional ticketing information, visit www.warriorsdc.org.

The National Geographic Museum, located at 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., features a variety of changing exhibitions as well as permanent and interactive displays that reflect the richness and diversity of our world.

“We are thrilled to have The PIMCO Foundation’s support of ‘Terra Cotta Warriors,’” said Susan Norton, director of the National Geographic Museum. “In addition to the Foundation providing nearly 4,000 free exhibition tickets to the public during our Wednesday evening extended hours, the student preview will give some lucky local D.C. students a first look at these incredible treasures.”

“We are pleased to sponsor the terra cotta warriors’ final stop in the United States,” said Mohamed El-Erian, The PIMCO Foundation’s president. “This is one of the world’s most important exhibitions, and we are thrilled to enhance the public’s opportunity to see it.” The PIMCO Foundation also sponsored the warriors’ first stop in the United States, in Santa Ana, Calif.

The exhibition will be open for extended viewing hours on Wednesday evenings until 9 p.m. On these evenings, 200 free, same-day tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Distribution will begin at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. viewing, with a maximum distribution of two tickets per person.

“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” provides an in-depth look at the enormous tomb complex of Emperor Qin Shihuangdi that contained thousands of terra cotta warriors
intended to protect him in the afterlife. The warriors were discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers digging a well near Xi’an in Shaanxi province. When archaeologists began excavating the area, they uncovered a subterranean vault containing fragments of thousands of terra cotta figures in three large pits. More than 1,000 life-size figures have been restored as part of the site’s ongoing excavation.

The exhibition features including nine terra cotta warriors, two musicians, a strongman, a court official, a stable attendant and a horse. The exhibition features 100 sets of artifacts in all, including weapons, stone armor, coins, jade ornaments, roof tiles and decorative bricks, and a bronze crane and swan. The National Geographic Museum is the final venue on the exhibition’s two-year U.S. tour.

Timed and dated tickets can be purchased online at the Buy Tickets page of the exhibition Web site www.warriorsdc.org, by phone at (202) 857-7700 or at the National Geographic Museum ticket office, 1600 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, military personnel and National Geographic members; and $6 for children ages 2-12. Prices for groups of 10 or more are $8 per ticket, and K-12 school groups are $6 per person with one free adult ticket for each group of 10 students. For more information on group sales, call (202) 857-7281. A companion audio tour will be available for $5.

On all days except Wednesdays, the exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Wednesdays, it will close at 9 p.m. The National Geographic Museum will be closed on Dec. 25. For more information, visit www.warriorsdc.org.

“Terra Cotta Warriors” is supported by American Airlines; Amtrak; Washington, D.C.’s Loews Madison Hotel; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; The PIMCO Foundation; UPS; Viking River Cruises; and WTOP.

The exhibition is co-organized by the Bowers Museum, Houston Museum of Natural Science and the National Geographic Museum and is guest curated by Dr. Albert E. Dien, professor emeritus, Stanford University.

The PIMCO Foundation is the corporate giving arm of PIMCO, one of the world’s leading money management firms, headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., with offices in New York City, Amsterdam, London, Munich, Zurich, Tokyo, Toronto, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney. www.pimco.com.

“We are thrilled to have The PIMCO Foundation’s support of ‘Terra Cotta Warriors,’” said Susan Norton, director of the National Geographic Museum. “In addition to the Foundation providing nearly 4,000 free exhibition tickets to the public during our Wednesday evening extended hours, the student preview will give some lucky local D.C. students a first look at these incredible treasures.”

“We are pleased to sponsor the terra cotta warriors’ final stop in the United States,” said Mohamed El-Erian, The PIMCO Foundation’s president. “This is one of the world’s most important exhibitions, and we are thrilled to enhance the public’s opportunity to see it.” The PIMCO Foundation also sponsored the warriors’ first stop in the United States, in Santa Ana, Calif.

The exhibition will be open for extended viewing hours on Wednesday evenings until 9 p.m. On these evenings, 200 free, same-day tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Distribution will begin at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. viewing, with a maximum distribution of two tickets per person.

“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” provides an in-depth look at the enormous tomb complex of Emperor Qin Shihuangdi that contained thousands of terra cotta warriors intended to protect him in the afterlife. The warriors were discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers digging a well near Xi’an in Shaanxi province. When archaeologists began excavating the area, they uncovered a subterranean vault containing fragments of thousands of terra cotta figures in three large pits. More than 1,000 life-size figures have been restored as part of the site’s ongoing excavation.

The exhibition features including nine terra cotta warriors, two musicians, a strongman, a court official, a stable attendant and a horse. The exhibition features 100 sets of artifacts in all, including weapons, stone armor, coins, jade ornaments, roof tiles and decorative bricks, and a bronze crane and swan. The National Geographic Museum is the final venue on the exhibition’s two-year U.S. tour.

Timed and dated tickets can be purchased online at the Buy Tickets page of the exhibition Web site www.warriorsdc.org, by phone at (202) 857-7700 or at the National Geographic Museum ticket office, 1600 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, military personnel and National Geographic members; and $6 for children ages 2-12. Prices for groups of 10 or more are $8 per ticket, and K-12 school groups are $6 per person with one free adult ticket for each group of 10 students. For more information on group sales, call (202) 857-7281. A companion audio tour will be available for $5.

On all days except Wednesdays, the exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Wednesdays, it will close at 9 p.m. The National Geographic Museum will be closed on Dec. 25. For more information, visit www.warriorsdc.org.

“Terra Cotta Warriors” is supported by American Airlines; Amtrak; Washington, D.C.’s Loews Madison Hotel; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; The PIMCO Foundation; UPS; Viking River Cruises; and WTOP.

The exhibition is co-organized by the Bowers Museum, Houston Museum of Natural Science and the National Geographic Museum and is guest curated by Dr. Albert E. Dien, professor emeritus, Stanford University.

The PIMCO Foundation is the corporate giving arm of PIMCO, one of the world’s leading money management firms, headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., with offices in New York City, Amsterdam, London, Munich, Zurich, Tokyo, Toronto, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney. www.pimco.com.

The National Geographic Museum, located at 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., features a variety of changing exhibitions as well as permanent and interactive displays that reflect the richness and diversity of our world. The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 375 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

“The First Emperor’s magnificent terra cotta army is one of the great wonders of the ancient world,” said Terry Garcia, National Geographic’s executive vice president for Mission Programs. “Visitors to the National Geographic Museum will have the rare opportunity to experience one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century as they stand face-to-face with the terra cotta warriors.”

The ticketed exhibition offers an in-depth look at the First Emperor’s enormous tomb complex that contained thousands of terra cotta warriors intended to protect him in the afterlife. The exhibition showcases 15 life-size terra cotta figures and 100 sets of objects, including 20 “Level 1″ artifacts — China’s highest possible ranking in terms of rarity and importance.

“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” is co-organized by the Bowers Museum, Houston Museum of Natural Science and the National Geographic Museum, and is guest curated by Dr. Albert E. Dien, professor emeritus, Stanford University.

“Terra Cotta Warriors” is supported by American Airlines; Amtrak; Washington, D.C.’s Loews Madison Hotel; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; The PIMCO Foundation; UPS; Viking River Cruises; and WTOP.

The exhibition is supported locally by Asia Nine; Cultural Tourism DC; Destination DC; D.C. United; Hong Kong Palace; Mie N Yu; TenPenh; Union Station; Washington National Opera; The Washington Nationals; and The Washington Post.

In support of the exhibition, National Geographic has published a companion book, “Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor,” by Jane Portal, and exhibit-related merchandise is available online and in the National Geographic Museum store. A teacher’s guide can be found online via the For Teachers page at www.warriorsdc.org. A touchable terra cotta warrior replica and two kiosks featuring an interactive game are available for museum visitors to access free.

Free screenings of the film “The Real Dragon Emperor,” featuring the latest archaeological research and imaging techniques that take viewers inside the massive tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, will be shown in National Geographic’s Grosvenor Auditorium at 12 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through the run of the exhibition. The hour-long film also will be screened on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and on the following Saturdays: Nov. 28, Dec. 26, Jan. 30, Feb. 27 and March 27, at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

In addition, National Geographic will host a Chinese New Year celebration on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, presenting sponsor of the celebration, will provide complimentary tickets to the exhibition that day. Details on how to receive these tickets will be made available soon. Additional support of the Chinese New Year celebration is provided by The PIMCO Foundation.

Historian and guest curator Albert Dien will review the tumultuous era of Chinese history that saw the construction of the terra cotta army at a sold-out National Geographic Live event on Nov. 21.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Discovered after being buried for more than 2,000 years, the terra cotta warriors reveal secrets of the Qin dynasty. The warriors were found in 1974 by a group of farmers digging a well near Xi’an in China’s Shaanxi province. When archaeologists began excavating the area, they uncovered a subterranean vault containing fragments of thousands of terra cotta figures in four pits. More than 1,000 life-size figures have been unearthed as part of the site’s ongoing excavation, with estimates of 6,000 more remaining in the known underground pits.

Construction of Qin Shihuangdi’s tomb took 36 years to complete, and the tomb complex is estimated to extend more than 19 square miles. The terra cotta figures were created in assembly-line fashion, and molds were used to mass-produce hands, heads and ears. Craftsmen sculpted individual armor details and facial features by hand. It is believed that no two faces are alike.

“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” features 15 terra cotta figures, consisting of nine warriors — two infantrymen, a chariot driver, two officers, an armored warrior, two archers and a cavalryman — as well as two musicians, a strongman, a court official, a stable attendant and a horse. The exhibition showcases 100 sets of artifacts, including weapons, stone armor, coins, jade ornaments, roof tiles and decorative bricks, and a bronze crane and swan. Two replica bronze chariots will also be on display.

The 12,000-square-foot exhibition is organized into four themes. The first, “Building the Empire,” introduces visitors to Qin Shihuangdi and his formidable rule. This gallery also details the emperor’s establishment of new standards, including dictated script, coinage, weights and measures.

The second theme, “Power and Paranoia,” highlights the First Emperor’s architectural projects as he sought to create physical proof of his power. He was preoccupied with keeping his location secret, and his many dwellings, including 300 extravagant palaces and 400 lodges, allowed him to stay in a different place each night.

The third theme, “The Afterlife,” focuses on the construction of the massive underground tomb complex and the practice of burying objects with the dead to serve their spirits in an afterworld.

The final theme, “Armies Unearthed,” showcases eight of the warriors and details how the terra cotta army was created. This section also highlights the work of excavators and conservators in reconstructing and preserving the artifacts.

The exhibition began its U.S. tour at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Calif., in May 2008. The same collection of objects then visited the High Museum of Art in Atlanta from November 2008 through April 2009, under a different title and curatorial framework. “Terra Cotta Warriors” visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science from May through October 2009, before traveling to the National Geographic Museum.

The objects in the exhibition are drawn from 11 different collections in and near Xi’an, including the Museum of the First Emperor’s Terra Cotta Army and Horses, Shaanxi Provincial Institute for Archaeological Research, the Zhouzhi Museum, Baoji Museum, Xianyang Museum, Lintong Museum, Fengxiang Museum, Chencang Museum, Xi’an Institute for Archaeological Research and Protection, Baoji Archaeological Excavation Team and Xianyang Institute for Archaeological Research.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are timed and dated and can be purchased online at the Buy Tickets page of the exhibition Web site www.warriorsdc.org, by phone at (202) 857-7700, and at the National Geographic Museum ticket booth located at the exhibition’s entrance or at the National Geographic ticket office, 1600 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

The exhibition is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays until 9 p.m. The National Geographic Museum will be closed on Dec. 25.

Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, military personnel and National Geographic members; and $6 for children ages 2-12. Children under age 2 are admitted free. A companion audio tour, offered in English, Mandarin and Spanish, is available for $5.

Prices for groups of 10 or more are $8 per ticket, and K-12 school groups are $6 per person with one free adult ticket for each group of 10 students. For more information on group sales, call (202) 857-7281.

The PIMCO Foundation will provide 200 free, same-day tickets each Wednesday evening during the exhibition’s run. These tickets will be distributed at the museum at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. viewing on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limit of two tickets per person.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is offering $2 off a full-price exhibition ticket for guests at its nine D.C.-area restaurants. Guests will receive a special promotional code that can be used when purchasing tickets online, by phone or at the museum.

The National Geographic Museum’s official hotel partner, the Loews Madison Hotel, is offering a package that includes one night deluxe accommodation, two premium anytime tickets to the exhibition and a 20 percent discount at the museum gift shop, available online at www.loewshotels.com/madison. Additional hotel packages, including premium tickets for anytime access to the exhibition, are being offered at several area hotels through Destination DC’s Weekend Warriors promotion. Visit www.weekendwarriorsdc.com for details. Hotel packages are also available through AAA.

For additional ticketing information, visit www.warriorsdc.org.

The National Geographic Museum, located at 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., features a variety of changing exhibitions as well as permanent and interactive displays that reflect the richness and diversity of our world.

“We are thrilled to have The PIMCO Foundation’s support of ‘Terra Cotta Warriors,’” said Susan Norton, director of the National Geographic Museum. “In addition to the Foundation providing nearly 4,000 free exhibition tickets to the public during our Wednesday evening extended hours, the student preview will give some lucky local D.C. students a first look at these incredible treasures.”

“We are pleased to sponsor the terra cotta warriors’ final stop in the United States,” said Mohamed El-Erian, The PIMCO Foundation’s president. “This is one of the world’s most important exhibitions, and we are thrilled to enhance the public’s opportunity to see it.” The PIMCO Foundation also sponsored the warriors’ first stop in the United States, in Santa Ana, Calif.

The exhibition will be open for extended viewing hours on Wednesday evenings until 9 p.m. On these evenings, 200 free, same-day tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Distribution will begin at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. viewing, with a maximum distribution of two tickets per person.

“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” provides an in-depth look at the enormous tomb complex of Emperor Qin Shihuangdi that contained thousands of terra cotta warriors
intended to protect him in the afterlife. The warriors were discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers digging a well near Xi’an in Shaanxi province. When archaeologists began excavating the area, they uncovered a subterranean vault containing fragments of thousands of terra cotta figures in three large pits. More than 1,000 life-size figures have been restored as part of the site’s ongoing excavation.

The exhibition features including nine terra cotta warriors, two musicians, a strongman, a court official, a stable attendant and a horse. The exhibition features 100 sets of artifacts in all, including weapons, stone armor, coins, jade ornaments, roof tiles and decorative bricks, and a bronze crane and swan. The National Geographic Museum is the final venue on the exhibition’s two-year U.S. tour.

Timed and dated tickets can be purchased online at the Buy Tickets page of the exhibition Web site www.warriorsdc.org, by phone at (202) 857-7700 or at the National Geographic Museum ticket office, 1600 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, military personnel and National Geographic members; and $6 for children ages 2-12. Prices for groups of 10 or more are $8 per ticket, and K-12 school groups are $6 per person with one free adult ticket for each group of 10 students. For more information on group sales, call (202) 857-7281. A companion audio tour will be available for $5.

On all days except Wednesdays, the exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Wednesdays, it will close at 9 p.m. The National Geographic Museum will be closed on Dec. 25. For more information, visit www.warriorsdc.org.

“Terra Cotta Warriors” is supported by American Airlines; Amtrak; Washington, D.C.’s Loews Madison Hotel; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; The PIMCO Foundation; UPS; Viking River Cruises; and WTOP.

The exhibition is co-organized by the Bowers Museum, Houston Museum of Natural Science and the National Geographic Museum and is guest curated by Dr. Albert E. Dien, professor emeritus, Stanford University.

The PIMCO Foundation is the corporate giving arm of PIMCO, one of the world’s leading money management firms, headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., with offices in New York City, Amsterdam, London, Munich, Zurich, Tokyo, Toronto, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney. www.pimco.com.

“We are thrilled to have The PIMCO Foundation’s support of ‘Terra Cotta Warriors,’” said Susan Norton, director of the National Geographic Museum. “In addition to the Foundation providing nearly 4,000 free exhibition tickets to the public during our Wednesday evening extended hours, the student preview will give some lucky local D.C. students a first look at these incredible treasures.”

“We are pleased to sponsor the terra cotta warriors’ final stop in the United States,” said Mohamed El-Erian, The PIMCO Foundation’s president. “This is one of the world’s most important exhibitions, and we are thrilled to enhance the public’s opportunity to see it.” The PIMCO Foundation also sponsored the warriors’ first stop in the United States, in Santa Ana, Calif.

The exhibition will be open for extended viewing hours on Wednesday evenings until 9 p.m. On these evenings, 200 free, same-day tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Distribution will begin at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. viewing, with a maximum distribution of two tickets per person.

“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” provides an in-depth look at the enormous tomb complex of Emperor Qin Shihuangdi that contained thousands of terra cotta warriors intended to protect him in the afterlife. The warriors were discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers digging a well near Xi’an in Shaanxi province. When archaeologists began excavating the area, they uncovered a subterranean vault containing fragments of thousands of terra cotta figures in three large pits. More than 1,000 life-size figures have been restored as part of the site’s ongoing excavation.

The exhibition features including nine terra cotta warriors, two musicians, a strongman, a court official, a stable attendant and a horse. The exhibition features 100 sets of artifacts in all, including weapons, stone armor, coins, jade ornaments, roof tiles and decorative bricks, and a bronze crane and swan. The National Geographic Museum is the final venue on the exhibition’s two-year U.S. tour.

Timed and dated tickets can be purchased online at the Buy Tickets page of the exhibition Web site www.warriorsdc.org, by phone at (202) 857-7700 or at the National Geographic Museum ticket office, 1600 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, military personnel and National Geographic members; and $6 for children ages 2-12. Prices for groups of 10 or more are $8 per ticket, and K-12 school groups are $6 per person with one free adult ticket for each group of 10 students. For more information on group sales, call (202) 857-7281. A companion audio tour will be available for $5.

On all days except Wednesdays, the exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Wednesdays, it will close at 9 p.m. The National Geographic Museum will be closed on Dec. 25. For more information, visit www.warriorsdc.org.

“Terra Cotta Warriors” is supported by American Airlines; Amtrak; Washington, D.C.’s Loews Madison Hotel; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; The PIMCO Foundation; UPS; Viking River Cruises; and WTOP.

The exhibition is co-organized by the Bowers Museum, Houston Museum of Natural Science and the National Geographic Museum and is guest curated by Dr. Albert E. Dien, professor emeritus, Stanford University.

The PIMCO Foundation is the corporate giving arm of PIMCO, one of the world’s leading money management firms, headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., with offices in New York City, Amsterdam, London, Munich, Zurich, Tokyo, Toronto, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney. www.pimco.com.

The National Geographic Museum, located at 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., features a variety of changing exhibitions as well as permanent and interactive displays that reflect the richness and diversity of our world. The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 375 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

Plaintiff: Soltis Investment Advisor. Defendant: Pacific Investment Management Company, Pimco Municipal Opportunities Fund and Pimco GP IV.

Now of course the Fed has indicated that rates may stay at this level until 2014. But what will be the impact? In a Wall Street Journal piece yesterday, Charles Schwab argued that

the Fed’s actions, rather than helping, are having the perverse effect of destroying the confidence of businesses and individuals to invest and the willingness of banks to loan to anyone but those whose credit is so strong they don’t need loans

Meanwhile Bill Gross of Pimco writes on Ft.com that “zero-based money risks trapping recovery” arguing that the Fed has driven rates too low

A flat yield curve is a disincentive for lenders to extend intermediate or long-term credit unless there is sufficient downside room for yields to fall and bond prices to rise, resulting in capital gain opportunities.

It is an interesting argument. I’ve suggested before that, for anyone saving for retirement, the logical response to low rates is to save more, not less. The pot needed to generate a given income is higher and the expected return on your savings is lower so it takes more work to get there.

But what if the Fed took Mr Schwab’s advice and pushed up rates? The economy has not delevered much, even in the US. Higher rates would lead to more defaults and the potential return of the downward spiral of 2008 with debtors selling assets, pushing down prices and hurting confidence even further. This is a classic “I wouldn’t start from here” problem and one has to have some sympathy for central bankers, even though (in my view) they dropped the ball during the boom.

Unfortunately, there are few ways to see real growth in our economy unless the borrowing resumes. Businesses need the income; Wall Street needs the deposits and car loans and mortgages to keep generating fees. The warnings were universal: “We have not done business well as a country for a long time in terms of building sustainable prosperity,” Obama manufacturing czar Ron Bloom said at the conference on Tuesday.

The solution to the problem was elusive, even among all the bright minds at the conference. The problem with the consumer is mostly psychologicalaand maybe pathologicalawhen it comes to navigating the world of debt, and it was hard for many to figure out what the driver of consumer spending would be. Martin Franklin, the CEO of Jarden, theorized that innovationanew products, better servicesawould loosen purse strings. But the larger issueaAmerican dependence on debtawent heavily acknowledged but thoroughly unsolved.

The diagnosis was clear, even if the cure wasn’t. Communispace CEO Diane Hessan commented on the “conscious recklessness” of the American consumer that shifted personal responsibility for spending. ” ‘Most people say, ‘The reason we had a recession is everybody else. They overspent. I didn’t overspend.’ The circle of trust has narrowed down to the immediate family. This anger has come from a generation of Americans that feels entitled. If you feel that it’s someone else’s fault, you feel angry instead of addressing what happened and doing things differently.”

Barry Sternlicht, the founder of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, similarly attributed the problem to a national childlike, fairy-tale mentality. “We’re optimists, we have no memory as Americans, and while Congress is fighting about everything known to man, we are the mad drunk at the teller borrowing as much as we can from people who don’t care if we prosper,” Sternlicht said.

Sternlicht compared the American people’s addiction to borrowing to baseball player Mark McGwire’s use of steroids: “We’re pumped up. We’ve got a trillion dollars of s**t going through our bodies. It feels pretty good, but it can’t last.” A slide at the “Frugal New Consumer” panel showed that the United States houses only 4 percent of the world’s population but did the most spending, to the tune of $10 trillion. China and India, who have twice the population, created consumption of only $2.5 trilllionacombined.

While Sternlicht favored steroids as the metaphor, the better one might be heroin, if only because the solution seems to be something like methadone: more borrowing.

Steve Forbes, for instance, lamented the passing of the credit-card reform bill in Washington because it would hurt startups and small businessano small issue, since 60 percent of the decline in job creation is in the small-business sector. And here’s the problem: three in four startups are funded with credit cards. Fewer startups mean fewer investment opportunities for next-stage investors. “Venture capital is going to get crushed as a byproduct here,” Forbes warned.

Indeed, the continued refusal of banks to lend money into the system is a source of frustration. “The financial sector should be a servant of Main Street,” said Ron Bloom. A slide at one panel showed that bank lending fell 7.5 percent in 2009, if you track it from the first quarter of 2008. Marc Lasry, the founder of Avenue Capital (best known as Chelsea Clinton’s former boss) noted that lending should actually have increased to trillions of dollars.

But even if it had, all that lending would have done is contribute to this scary new phase of American consumerism: covering living expenses through credit-card debt. While many of the CEOs on the “frugal consumer” panel talked about how to get consumers to buy their products, they were also wary of the effect and resigned to a long recovery. Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, wasn’t optimistic. “I think we’re in the third inning,” he said. “We have a long way to go to give the overindebted, overextended American consumer a green light.”

That didn’t prevent moderator Jim D’Aquila, an investment banker in the consumer products group of Imperial Capital, giving a wry exhortation to the attendees after the frugal consumer panel: “Go to a gift shop or a store nearby and buy something.”

At the Milken Institute Global Conference this week, itas been clear that, nearly two years after the financial bailouts started, the gulf of understanding between the power brokers in New York and those in D.C. has grown deeper, angrier, and more frustrated. For a long time, power in the United States has resided with the people in charge of the money, and that incumbency is hard to give up. Rather than getting closer to consensus, the financiers and the policy people are further away from each other than ever. The only question is a big one: Are Wall Street’s objections to government intervention the death rattle of a dying industry? Or are the moneymen, steeped in the ways of finance, actually the knowledgeable Cassandras?

As Ted Turner responded when Michael Milken asked him about government intervention: “That’s heavy stuff.”

And itas not always clear where alliances stand. Ron Bloom, the senior adviser to the Treasury Department who is running the bailout of GM and Chrysler, is a former labor activist who also holds a Harvard MBA and worked as an investment banker. On Monday, Bloom defended the no-strings-attached infusion of money into the two auto firms, objecting that imposing proscriptions on the massively failed companies, now wards of the state, would be “more interventionist.”

The idea that pouring billions of dollars into a company would be less interventionist than the government getting involved to guarantee the health of that investment … well, that’s the awkward dance that policymakers are walking. They don’t want to openly admit to being interventionist, but neither can they afford to be accused of not doing anything. On the other side, banks and automakers have been happy to take the government’s money; they just don’t want the government’s ideas. Both sides can align their interests easily: The government can pour money into companies, but involvement should really stop there. Ken Griffin, the founder of Citadel, complained that, “The American public is fed up with the expansion of government into our lives. a| The American people want an opportunity, not a handout.”

Of course, that’s a hard case to make when real unemployment stands at something like 17 percent, and unemployment benefits are running out as people spend more and more time out of the workforce. Those people angry at both the government and Wall Street, who spend much of their time throwing barbs at each other.

The government retains the strong argument that the capitalists had their chance and screwed it upaor, as Mohammed El-Erian, the CEO of powerful bond manager PIMCO put it, “What’s driving policy is the widespread impression that markets failed.” El-Erian captured the thrust of public frustration with Wall Street when he said, “No society can accept a system that privatizes massive gains and socializes massive losses.” Translation: We can’t let the rich make all the money, while everyone else pays all the taxes when the rich fail at speculation.

Itas hard to feel the audience agreed: Those with money still feel severely unheard, and it has created some amusing bedfellows. Consider, for insistence, billionaire T. Boone Pickens expressing so much frustration with the administration’s energy policy that he advocated grassroots reform. Pickens railed against government policy in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he believed we had waged wars purely to protect petroleum assets. “The money paid for oil in the Mideast will go to fund the Taliban,” Pickens said. Ted Turner called repeatedly for a reform in energy policy to “leave coal in the ground” and move to “the greatest business opportunity of the 21^st century”aclean energy such as solar and wind. (“I invested in wind,” Pickens, who authored his own Pickens Plan on energy, quipped ruefully. “I kinda wish I had my money back.”)

Carly Fiorina, the former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and sometime politician, called the stimulus “inefficient,” suggesting that it had gone mostly to protecting old-line construction jobs when it should have fueled startups and innovation. Ken Griffin, the founder of giant hedge fund Citadel, appeared contemptuous of current administration financial policies, “There seems to be no recognition. a| If we push current issues down the road five to 10 years, we will be Greece.” Griffin also objected to the fact that investment banks including Goldman Sachs (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS)awhich he did not name, but obliquely referred toaare now classified as real banks. “We should not have an FDIC guarantee to do proprietary risk-taking rather than deposits and lending,” Griffin said. (Of course, you would expect that; when Goldman and Morgan engage in their own trading, they are competitors to Citadelabut unlike Citadel, if they fail, they will have government support.)

The truth is, neither Washington nor Wall Street can get its bearings right now. El-Erian told a fable, of sorts, about the state of “maximum confusion” when an old technology is inadequate and a new one is looming. “At that point, I don’t pick up the phone and say, ‘I want to learn the new technology,’” El-Erian said of the confused protagonists, meant to be Wall Street. “I say, ‘bring the old one back.’” And that is the nut of the problem: Faced with new ways of moving money, and new ways of governing, both the Street and Washington want the old ways back.