The Titanic is remembered for its hubris. It was the unsinkable ship, a titan of the sea. Yet, ironically, it sunk during its maiden voyage. In a time before the world went numb, before radio, television, and 24-hour news programs began broadcasting tragedy every hour on the hour, the disaster was truly shocking. Considering the fact that most of the reliable sources of information went down with the ship, Titanic was not only submerged in water, but also enveloped in a shroud of mystique. Thankfully, since the discovery of the ship’s wreckage in 1985, a jigsaw puzzle of artifacts have been retrieved to piece together a clearer picture of what it was like on the doomed vessel, and Luxor’s Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is one of the most informative and interactive experiences regarding the ship, its construction, its voyage and its fate.
Once you’re inside the exhibit, you’ll be immersed into 25,000-square-feet of all things Titanic. While there’s a 22-ton slab of the real ship’s hull, much of the exhibit is anchored by replicas, such as full-scale re-creations of the ship’s Grand Staircase, first-, second- and third-class cabins, and a chilly promenade deck. There’s even a replica of an iceberg. But what ties everything together are the more than 250 artifacts from the wreckage on display. Some artifacts, such as a first-class room chandelier, show the utter opulence of the ship, while other little, insignificant objects, such as spectacles, cigarette tins and alligator skin wallets, help create a historical and personal connection to the ship’s passengers.
And that personal connection is crucial, for one salient reality of the Titanic disaster that’s often overlooked is that real people perished. So much time has passed since that day in 1912 that most of the lives lost are a distant and abstract memory. Thus, the most poignant element of Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is its focus on the passengers. Each person who walks through the entrance receives a card with a short biography of a passenger on the ship. Not only does it allow you to live vicariously through that real-life passenger, but now that passenger’s story and memory live on through you.
Luxor, 702.262.4400
Click here for your free subscription to the weekly digital edition of Las Vegas Magazine, your guide to everything to do, hear, see and experience in Southern Nevada. As part of your subscription, each week via email you will receive the latest edition of Las Vegas Magazine, full of informative content such as restaurants to visit, cocktails to sip and attractions to enjoy.
