Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, Las Vegas, NV

Millions of viewers worldwide wept as they watched the titanic sink, and as Jack and Rose stood on the rail of the unsinkable ship, our hearts broke for them. But that was just one story in the thousands, and while it was an amazing and heartfelt movie, we the viewers want more. I give you Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.

Located inside the Luxor hotel, Las Vegas, this epic exhibition, plays host to countless objects collected from the wreck, including the big piece. The largest part of the boat's hold ever to be excavated, weighing 20 tons, it is a feast for the eyes. But I'm getting ahead of myself, lets go back to the begging, the entrance.

Thirty dollars is a little more than I bargained for as I bought the tickets for this exhibition. But not wanting to appear cheep, before my girlfriend, I paid the cashier and entered. With no expectations, having loved the movie but not so interested in the actual story, I was a lout. However upon entering, I was caught up in the moment. This is no ordinary exhibition, a man waiting just inside handed me a card, with the name, age, and life story, of one passenger, whom at the end I would find out if he survived.

As I walked through the first room, I couldn't help but be astounded by the objects that decorated the area. Placed in glass domes, and cubes, these relics of a lost age shined with an undeterred brightness, astonishing even me. A sign on the wall told the story of one man, a youngster, who having boarded the ship with his parents, was tragically killed in the sinking. But I don't do the story justice, you must read it for yourself to understand. After that I walked through a number of rooms, each with its discoveries, each with its stories, many of which left us without a dry eye. In a few rooms were fully recreated areas of the titanic, a 3rd class passenger room, complete with a few clothes sprawled about, or a dining room. Showcasing the best of the Victorian age. But the grandest set to behold, was the recreation of the great staircase as seen in the movie. Here you are invited to step halfway up the stairs and have a photo taken, which is ready for your purchase at the end. I climbed the steps gingerly, but my girlfriend, shaking with excitement, pulled me up quicker then was expected. So that when my picture was finally shot, I was in a ruffle and looking quite fragile. But shaking it off, I took a last look about the grand staircase and moved on.

Next we had the night of the sinking, with many stories pasted on either side of the wall. As well as makeshift model of the titanic, and a real iceberg, cold and smooth to the touch. Stories from the night watchmen, and the captain, and many other poor victims of that fateful voyage. The captain, an older gentleman, with wife and child waiting at home, was on his last voyage, when he went down with the ship. Or an account telling how their binoculars were left in France, and had they only had them, they might have survived. There is no use however in thinking what might have been, the story is sunk in our annals of history, and that is that.

Continuing on I walked through a recreated side deck, with what looked like stars above, and waves below. The wind blew through my hair as I looked out, cold hands griped mine, I looked, but they were only that of my girlfriend, shivering beside me. I smiled at her, and whispered, "Don't worry, we'll never sail, I swear."
She seemed relieved and we moved on, lucky for me she doesn't hold me to my promises, as I love the ocean. Finally we entered the room in question, a replica of titanic with it sides ripped out and a detailed account of how this unsinkable ship, sank, stood by. Love stories from the boat, scrawled across the walls and I stood awhile, caught up in the emotion. Wishing that I could change what happened, but knowing all the while that this was a part of history, and a story unlike any other.

The last room held the big piece, towering over our heads, my jaw dropped as I stared up at it. A few thick glass windows littered across, and a sign next it read, its history. While too long to account here, I must say, it's had a stranger life then me, and certainly a longer one. After basking in its glory, I moved on to the sign reading the names of everyone who lived and died on the Titanic. I stood there for ten minutes unblinking, looking for any sign that the man on my card had lived. To many had died, I had read to many sad stories, and I thought that if this guy was dead, it would be too much. But then just as my faith began to dwindle I was rewarded with his name appearing on the survivors list. One thousand and something dead, yet somehow this guy had made it through, that cheered me up a bit, sadly my girlfriend's wasn't so lucky.

In the end as I exited the exhibition, I paused looking back and giving my final condolences to the many people that died that night. And whether they were good or evil, young or old, they all have a tale to tell, a tale about an unsinkable ship, The Titanic.