She was the seductress who ruled Egypt with an iron fist, the woman who's been portrayed on the big screen by a cavalcade of Hollywood's most famous leading ladies — Elizabeth Taylor included. Today, more than 2,000 years after her reign, Cleopatra continues to mesmerize and captivate the world. Through Sept. 5, the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is spotlighting her life and times by presenting more than 150 artifacts culled from the sands of Egypt and the watery depths of the Bay of Aboukir near Alexandria.

Organized by National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International — with the blessings of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology — "Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt" features stunning jewelry, statuary, coins and religious tokens that archaeologists have uncovered from the days of Cleopatra's rule. All are visiting the United States for the first time.

The most riveting artifact of all: an original papyrus document containing an inscription scientists believe was written in the sovereign's own hand.

For more information, visit cincymuseum.org.