At the start of the new year, The Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls is opening its first Asia-focused exhibit called “Genghis Khan: Culture and Conquest.” Genghis Khan is historically significant because he conquered the largest land empire in history and introduced many lasting scientific and cultural advances.  

The Washington Post described him as “the single most influential person of the last millennium.” In an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, Museum of Idaho Public Relations Manager Jeff Carr gave some insights about what the historic new exhibit will include. 

“The exhibit’s going to be really fun. It’s going to immerse people in 13th-century Mongolia which is a place and time that most people don’t know a ton about,” Carr said. “So, it’s got all sorts of original artifacts from that time—swords and weapons and jewelry and costumes—and you get to see sort of all sides of what it would have been like to live in that empire.” 
 
The exhibit will open in January and will also feature live traditional Mongolian music to underscore the theme. In addition to the Genghis Khan addition to the museum, a new exhibit called “Toytopia” is set to open late September. “Toytopia” is an interactive exhibit that showcases toys from each decade of the 20th century.  

“‘Toytopia’ sort of brings people through the science and history of toys and games, basically, starting from our ancient ancestors all the way down to today. It’s a wonderful educational experience. There’s all sorts of cool STEM education tie-ins and creative problem solving and design thinking, but it’s also (as you might expect) just really fun, too,” Carr said. 
 
“Toytopia” will feature the world’s largest Etch-a-Sketch, a life-sized doll house, a largescale-floor piano and an arcade of classic 70s and 80s games. Museum of Idaho tickets are available in person at $13 for adults, $12 for seniors and $11 for students. The museum is open from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. on Sundays. (Hours may vary on holidays.) For more information, visit the Museum of Idaho website.