Art spotlight: China's Terracotta Warriors

Opening Sunday: Buried for more than two millennia, the terracotta warriors of China emerged to instant fame in 1974. Archaeologists are still excavating the massive tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang. There, 7,000 of the life-sized figures were discovered along with horses, chariots and other accoutrements the ruler expected to need in the afterlife. The show's objects include bronze vessels, jade artifacts, gold and silver ornaments and architectural elements, some never seen outside China. On loan from more than 13 Chinese museums, the objects offer insight into an extraordinary moment in Chinese history, when emperor Qin transformed several states into a dominant superpower. See Saturday's Variety for a full story about the show. (10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Wed. & Fri.-Sat.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thu.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Ends Jan. 20. $18 weekdays; $20 weekends. Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2400 3rd Av. S. 612-870-3000 or www.artsmia.org)