Stories of Petra’s beauty, history, and immense wealth have persisted for centuries. Petra has witnessed the Israelite exodus from Egypt, the flourishing trade routes of the Nabataeans, the Roman empire, the Crusades, and the lives of modern Bedouin.

The Explorers Hall exhibit transports visitors to this ancient city, carved into reddish sandstone hills nearly 3,000 years ago. Artifacts on display include winged statuettes in bronze, terra-cotta figures, ceramic jugs, storage jars, oil lamps, Nabataean coins and 1,400-year-old scrolls. Images from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC photographer Annie Griffiths Belt, architectural re-creations, and a Bedouin tent enrich the tale of this “rose-red city half as old as time.”