About the exhibition
The Titanic artifact exhibition in Orlando is a great place to visit if you want to take a little break from amusement parks, the noise and the hot sun. The exhibition is located fully indoors and it’s not usually crowded. It’s a perfect place to relax and learn something new – even if you know a lot about Titanic already.
There are about 300 artifacts and various historical items from Titanic on display. They include a two-ton section of the original ship’s hull.
I must say the Titanic artifact exhibition is a great place to visit with kids. If they are not yet familiar with the fascinating Titanic story, or know just general facts, I can guarantee you that they will be very excited by the end of the tour. My daughter wanted to even buy a book about Titanic in the gift shop afterwards to learn more things about this disaster.
As you buy your tickets at the entrance, you will be handed your “boarding passes” for the Titanic. These will bear the name of actual passengers. At the end of the tour, you’ll be able to see if this passenger survived or not.
You can get a guided tour, or simply get audio guides. We opted for audio guides to be able to move at our own pace and it worked quite well.
The ticket prices for adults are $26 and for children- $19. Admission times vary through the year, but the exhibition would generally be open 10 am till 5 pm.
A few facts from Titanic history
I’ve always been quite interested in Titanic and read a lot about it. However, I was not aware that it was the tycoon JP Morgan who backed its construction. One always learns something new.
Apparently, Morgan offered the White Star Shipping Line ten times the value of the company in 1902 and successfully purchased it. At that time, the Canard Line already launched gigantic ships, Mauritania and Lusitania. The tycoon wanted to make sure his shipping line launched even bigger ones. He therefore backed the construction of Olympic and Titanic. At that time, there were no docks in the US large enough for them. Morgan used his influence to convince the authorities in the NYC to expand the piers by more than 100 feet.
JP Morgan was expected to join the maiden voyage of Titanic, and even had a special suite prepared for him there. However, he was unable to travel due to his illness. After the Titanic disaster he lost a lot of money. He was also called as chief witness in front of senate. Although JP Morgan did not die on Titanic, the whole affair further undermined his health. He died soon after (in 1913).
Class distinction
Quite fascinating information for me was the distinction between classes on Titanic. The first class was for celebrities and tycoons like Astor and Guggenheim. The middle class was for well off people like businessmen and people of clergy. And the third class which offered very simple accommodations was for everyone else. In the first class, Titanic had a swimming pool, Turkish bath, a squash court and three elevators- quite luxurious for that time! People of different classes were not expected to mingle.
Well, such distinct class separation on Titanic was not surprising at that time. In fact, the Edwardian culture was one of great class separation. Many people were actually trying to move to America to escape this phenomenon.
You’ll see some interesting documentaries and even check out the type of dinner wear which was used in each class.
Highlights of the Titanic artifact exhibition
As you progress through the exhibition, you’ll see a lot of personal belongings of passengers (e.g., suitcases, clothes, notebooks), read their stories, and see plenty of pictures and displays.
You’ll see some heartbreaking pictures of Titanic lifeboats and people swimming in the ice cold water after the ship went under.
Did you know that a huge ship like Titanic only had 20 lifeboats? Well, by the safety protocols of that time, it was actually more than required. They were supposed to hold 1,178 people (about half of passengers and crew). Originally, the plan was to have even more- 48 boats – but this number was rejected due to cosmetic reasons.
When the disaster struck and it came down to actually using the lifeboats, they were not even filled to full capacity, causing more loss of life than required. The first boat, for example, could hold 65 people but only had 27 for several reasons. First, passengers were not yet sure they were in imminent danger and reluctant to get on board. Second, there was fear that the boat would break if filled more. Many boats were quite close to the victims fighting for their lives in the ocean, but they did not pick them up.
Interestingly, Titanic had plenty of life jackets, but they turned out quite useless when people ended up in the water. It was so cold that 5 minutes in the water was all it took for a person to freeze to death.
At the end of the exhibition, you’ll be able to see and even touch a fragment of an iceberg which is kept at the exact temperature as on the night Titanic victims drowned. You can touch the ice to understand how cold it was.
Technology
You’ll also have a chance to learn about the technology which was used to retrieve these and other objects from Titanic. Scientists used deep sea submersibles in order to go deep down to the Titanic crash site. Expeditions were conducted in 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004, retrieving more than 5,500 objects. Each dive lasted between 12 and 15 hours.
The technology used today is amazing, but it also brings risks which did not exist before. You probably remember the heartbreaking incident back in 2023, when the Titan submersible operated by the American company OceanGate imploded during their expedition to see the remains of Titanic. All five people on board died, including the CEO of the company, 2 members of a prominent Pakistani family, a British adventurer and even a Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
The final word
Hope you get a chance to visit the Titanic artifact exhibition in Orlando in the near future! It’s a fascinating experience which will shed a lot of light on the Titanic disaster. Even if you know a lot about Titanic, expect to learn some facts which you did not know before. Make sure to also buy a few nice souvenirs in the gift shop to remember this visit.
If you are looking for additional ideas for what to do in Orlando, check out my blog post: Seven Day Ultimate Orlando Itinerary for Families.
We sadly missed the Titanic Museum when we were in Belfast in Northern Ireland. But I did not know about the exhibit in Orlando. A good spot to learn more about the Titanic and see some artifacts from the ship. An interesting look at life in another time. And indeed a good break from other Orlando attractions.
I enjoyed reading through your interesting and informative post. I am shocked that there were only 20 life boats in the Titanic and that less people boarded the boats due to fear of boat breaking. I would love to visit this exhibition and touch that iceberg tip to feel the temperature and read the passengers’ notebooks. Finally, yes, the exhibition is the best place to get in when it is hot and crowded outside! :-)
Hello! I’m surprised that such an exhibition is available in Orlando. Thanks for sharing!
An exhibit like this in Orlando is very interesting as I don’t believe Florida was anywhere on the original planned route. Looks like lots of fun for kids though.
This sounds like the perfect activity to add to an itinerary. I learned so much from reading the post. I want to visit when I head to Orlando!