Get Your Historic Fix at These Titanic Museums and Attractions
See artifacts, hear stories and experience the legend of the Titanic at these museums and attractions.
For decades, the story of the Titanic and its tragic sinking in 1912 has captivated the hearts and minds of people generations over. Though the sinking may have happened over 110 years ago, plenty of museums and attractions pay homage to those who were on board and work to keep the ship's legacy and its passengers' stories alive. Come along as we explore some of those destinations!
PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE & BRANSON, MISSOURI
Both the Pigeon Forge and Branson Titanic Museum Attractions are founded and owned by John Joslyn, who co-led a dive expedition to the site of the Titanic wreckage in 1987.
On the attraction's website, Joslyn states, "I want to share as closely as possible with guests what Titanic's actual passengers and crew experienced aboard ship. Visitors can touch finely carved wooden inlays, grasp the wheel on the captain's bridge, tap out messages on the ship's wireless, feel an iceberg's chill, stroll decks and galleries and listen to stories told by real survivors. I think of it as 'Living Theatre' with guests as part of the experience. Plus it offers a realistic, interactive educational experience for students of all ages."
Artifacts and memorabilia (valued at $4.5 million) abound at both of these locations, including an exact to-scale replica of the Grand Staircase. Before you even enter at these locations, groups are met with a large partial recreation of the ship's exterior, a sight to behold. Upon entering, attendees are given a boarding pass of an actual Titanic passenger/crew member, with facts about who they were. At the conclusion of the experience, groups can discover their passenger's fate in the Titanic Memorial Room. The experience also offers the opportunity to feel 28-degree water (what the water would have felt like that tragic evening).
BELFAST, IRELAND
In regards to the Titanic, Belfast is known as the place where the iconic ocean liner was built. Over the course of approximately 26 months, 15,000 workers poured their full efforts into creating what was at the time the greatest and largest ship ever built. At Titanic Belfast—located beside where Titanic was designed, built and launched all those years ago—groups could learn the history of the ship from conception to its final hours through a guided Discovery Tour, see original artifacts (including the Last Luncheon Menu), be enveloped in the ship's legend through nine interactive galleries and plenty more. They could even enjoy Sunday Afternoon Tea in the opulent recreation of the Grand Staircase, complete with live jazz music.
SOUTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM
Recognized as the location where the Titanic officially set sail for the first and last time, Southampton has a strong tie to the ship that endures even today, as over a third of those who lost their lives hailed from the city. At SeaCity Museum, groups could hear stories from survivors told in their own voices, see more than 200 artifacts and more. Southampton is also home to a number of memorials for those who were on board the ship that fateful evening, such as the Titanic Engineers' Memorial and Titanic Musician's Memorial.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Located inside the Luxor in Las Vegas, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition offers groups an opportunity to view over 250 authentic artifacts recovered from the wreck itself. Recreations of some of the most recognizable rooms aboard the ship allow groups of all ages to step back in time and be transported to another place entirely, while a glimpse of "The Big Piece" provides a sense scale and gravity. Also on view within the 25,000-square-foot exhibit are a recovered window frame from the Verandah Cafe and an unopened bottle of champagne with a 1900 vintage.
To get excited ahead of your trip to any of the above museums, explore the online exhibit and collection of artifacts displayed by Titanic Museum—one of the largest collections of Titanic and White Star Line artifacts in the UK. Founded by Tom Rudderham, the collection is part of White Star Heritage LTD.
Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for Groups Today.
Photo Courtesy of Sarah Suydam.
