Travel Review: Discovery Titanic Artifact Exhibit at Times Square

The Discovery Titanic Artifact Exhibit at Times Square in the heart of Manhattan is in the final month of its run at this location. The Times Square Titanic exhibit will close on February 28, 2010. Located at 226 West 44^th Street (between 7th & 8^th Avenues), it's an easy destination to find. This museum quality exposition is perfect for kids and well as entertaining for adults.

The tickets cost $24.50 for adults, $17.50 for children ages 4 to 12, $18.50 for seniors age 65+, and free for children under age 4 (not including taxes). On a recent Sunday there was no line and we were able to enter the Titanic right away.

Upon entering, each visitor is handed a replica White Star Line boarding ticket with an actual Titanic passenger's name and life history on the card (this ticket makes a great free souvenir). All of the pieces in the Discovery Titanic Artifact Exhibit are authentic and were found at the site of the shipwreck.

The first room displayed toiletries, floor tiles, a porcelain sink, jewelry and official White Star Line cups and saucers. Pictures of some first class passengers lined the walls. Isidor and Ida Strauss' pictures and family history were shown, as they were famous New York business people at the time. The Strauss family was co-owners of the Macy's department store.

A replica first class cabin was evidence of the comfort and luxury of the Titanic passengers who could afford to travel in this fashion. Next we walked through a hallway of cabin rooms which embodied how it must have felt to be on the Titanic.

The next room showcased the personal effects and pictures of second class passengers. There were different porcelain dishes and plates for second class. The rooms were smaller and bathrooms were shared by several families.

A highlight of the Titanic exhibit for the kids was a seven foot tall iceberg made of real ice. The room was darkened and the ceiling looked like a starry midnight sky. The iceberg rose up from the middle of the room and visitors were welcome to touch it.

Nearby was a shadow beamed from the ceiling to the floor in the shape and size of the lifeboats. This was an amazing demonstration of what the lifeboats looked like and how many people could fit in one.

Another room had a wall size poster of each passenger's name from first, second and third class and the list was broken out into who survived and who perished on April 15^th, 1912. In this room the visitors could also examine the clothing of the workmen, the briefcases and shoes from passengers and more jewelry recovered from the site of the wreck.

Placed at various locations throughout the exhibit were broken benches from the ship, a telegraph used by the crew and a telephone stand utilized to communicate between the wheelhouse and the docking bridge.

There are only a few more weeks to visit the Discovery Times Square Titanic Exhibit. It's a memorable experience and well worth the trip into Manhattan. February 28^th, 2010 is the last day.