For many of us who spend time on the water, the tragedy of the RMS Titanic‘s sinking holds an endless fascination. Hailed as the safest and most luxurious ship of its time, the Titanic ultimately took more than 1,500 lives when it struck an iceberg and sank into the cold North Atlantic Ocean. Its wreckage is still partially intact at a depth of 12,500 feet and holds still-visible details and belongings deep in the ocean.
But some artifacts did surface from the sinking and have become pieces of history. These are the centerpieces of an international traveling exhibit that will come to National Harbor this fall, just outside Washington D.C. on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Ticket sales were to begin Wednesday for the exhibit opening in October.
It boasts more than 200 original objects and personal items from the ship and includes several life-sized replicas of different areas on the ship. Visitors will experience the stark contrast between a lavish first-class suite and a humble third-class accommodation. An accompanying audio tour will retell passengers’ historical accounts.
Among the items on display is the diamond-and-sapphire necklace given to Mrs. Kate Phillips by her lover as they secretly traveled together, which inspired the necklace in James Cameron’s Titanic. A pair of tiny leather boots worn by a four-year-old girl (who survived the sinking) are also in the exhibition.
The exhibition has been on display since last fall in New York City and the dates were extended due to popular demand until early September. It moves on to the DMV region in time for an October 7, 2023 opening.
Tickets to the National Harbor exhibition will be available beginning Wednesday, Aug. 16, for those on the waitlist here. They’ll be on sale the following day, Thursday, Aug. 17, at 11 a.m. to the general public. Ticket prices will start at $33.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
