Touching tragedy: Titanic exhibition in Boston

"Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition" showcased artifacts, replicas, and recreations of items and rooms from the sunken ship. Photo by Caroline Morrell

When it comes to the infamous 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, we must ask ourselves: what about this catastrophe is so intriguing? Is the attention drawn by the 883-foot long ship? Or is it the fact that this 883-foot long ship crashed and sank on its first voyage? Whatever burning inquiries or interests one might have regarding the Titanic can finally be not only entertained, but answered!

On Oct. 17, 2024, doors opened to numerous Titanic fans as they entered Boston’s first Titanic exhibit, “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” located at 130 Columbus Ave.

This exhibit is a collection of 250 artifacts found within the debris of the Titanic. The artifacts range from women’s earrings to leather bags and even fine china dishware. In order for this exhibit to travel back in time to the Titanic’s first sail, all artifacts have been preserved and kept in mint condition.

I found myself asking “how can that be real?” while glancing through the fully detailed postcards and barely weathered ceramics. Thanks to RMS Titanic Inc., the only company legally allowed to collect artifacts from the wreckage, everything on display has been authenticated and preserved for fans’ starving curiosity.

Before entering the exhibit, each guest is provided with a boarding pass where, on the back, states a passenger’s name along with a reason for traveling. It might seem a little silly for the exhibition to give their guests “character names,” but the passengers listed were indeed real passengers on the Titanic. This gives the guest a deeper connection to the Titanic’s storyline as they go through the exhibition. It humanizes the countless stories we’ve cherished, and now we can be a part of it.

At the bottom of each boarding pass is a QR code that can be scanned at the end of the exhibition to find out whether or not a guest’s designated passenger survived—fortunately, my passenger, Mrs. Edward Beane, did make it through the wreck.

After receiving your boarding pass, guests are brought into a recreation of the Titanic, with rooms filled with artifacts, and even some with exact depictions of how the real ship looked. One area showed guests the first-class living accommodations, complete with beautiful wallpaper, silk bed covers, and a small dining table for tea. Another showed the third-class cabins, with two bunk beds, minimal decor, and one bench for belongings. Turns out though, a third-class ticket aboard the Titanic equals today’s 35 dollars—what a steal!

A recreation of a staircase from the RMS Titanic. Photo by Caroline Morrell

Between all of the rooms and artifacts on display, it is extremely difficult to pick out my favorite thing about “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” but the one thing I’ll never forget is how kind and engaging the staff was. For any question a guest might have, the staff was more than willing to give an answer, and for the questions that didn’t have an answer, they’d entertain theories and build off of your curiosity, which personally made me feel seen.

In regards to niche fixations, it’s difficult to enjoy yourself if you feel judged or “nerdy,” but any traces of judgement were absent within the walls of the exhibit. The staff’s encouragement for this fixation was amazing and extremely inviting.

This immersive experience healed my inner child. Getting to see the recreation of the ship’s infamous grand staircase, feeling how cold the iceberg was, and reading numerous quotes from passengers truthfully fed my ten-year-old obsession that I still cannot explain to this day.

Still, after visiting “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” and its most special artifact, I got to leave saying “I touched the Titanic.”