When is Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition on display?
October 3, 2009 – February 15, 2010
How much are tickets?
A Gallery Pass is available for the general public, which includes permanent exhibits: $18 for adults 13 and up, $14 for children 2-12 . Members can purchase Titanic Only passes: $10 member adult, $8 member child. School group rates: Gallery pass is $8 per student, $5 for Titanic only option.
How much does it cost to add an IMAX film?
All IMAX films are $5 for the public, $4 for members (stand alone or as add-on to Titanic)
Are group rates available?
Group rates are available and include Titanic Only option. Group bookings can be facilitated by Erin Emington (502-561-6100, ext. 6134) and reservation services (502-561-6100, ext. 6111).
Are guided tours available?
Tours are self-guided. Audio tours are available for $5 per person, in English, Spanish, North American Spanish, and French.
What are the hours?
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday – Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are timed, with admission every half hour. Last entry is one hour before closing.
Is the exhibition wheelchair accessible?
Yes.
Are strollers permitted?
Yes.
Is the exhibition suitable for children?
Some of the best Titanic experts are about 7 or 8 years old! Very young children might find things interesting to look at, but will likely want to move through the exhibition quickly. Older children and adults will want to linger, look, read and dialogue with one another. The exhibition offers terrific intergenerational learning opportunities.
What will I see in the exhibition?
150 artifacts will be on display, including six never-before seen artifacts. Items include a bedside lamp, a chandelier, china, British and American coins and currency, floor tiles, furniture, a toothpaste container, a saucepan, cooking pots, and personal items. Each visitor will receive a boarding pass with the name of one of the 2,228 passengers. Visitors will take a chronological journey, exploring how the ship was constructed, seeing china and the menus served to passengers in different classes, a Third Class Gallery featuring a hallway and cabin; an interactive iceberg gallery; and the memorial gallery, where visitors can learn whether their passenger survived or died.
Can I take photographs or video in the exhibit?
Photography and videotaping are not allowed. Artifacts are displayed in specially designed cases where temperature, relative humidity and light levels can be controlled, protecting the artifacts from these three agents of deterioration. The artifacts displayed have been conserved and are continuously monitored and maintained so that they can be shown in the Exhibition as well as preserved for the future. A catalog is available for purchase, which includes photographs of artifacts from the exhibition.
Why is the Science Center hosting a “history” exhibit? How is this science-related?
The Titanic’s construction led the media to promote the idea that the ship was “unsinkable.” It was the largest movable man-made object ever made at the time (1912) which made it a technological marvel.
Scientific topics that can be explored with this exhibit include:
• How the ship was constructed (i.e, how could 66,000 tons of steel float?; quality of construction materials and methods used)
• How an iceberg could cause the ship to sink (and how icebergs form, size of icebergs, and the travel path of the iceberg)
• Water pressure (how quickly the Titanic filled with water once it struck the iceberg)
• Radio communication
• Eyewitness memory
• Conservation and preservation of artifacts
How is this installation in Louisville the same or different than other Titanic exhibits I have seen in other markets?
All Titanic exhibitions are supported by RMS Titanic, Inc. and Premier Exhibitions, Inc. There are five shows touring, all of various sizes, and most significantly larger than this. Louisville is one of the first installations designed specifically for “mid market” facilities. Our exhibition showcases a traditional number of artifacts, and use historic image graphic panels as a key storytelling device and to establish historical context for the objects. We have one room recreation (third class passenger cabin). Some of the larger exhibitions have multiple room recreations (i.e. first class cabin, grand staircase). This obviously consumes a great deal of space. We’ve dedicated our space to the artifacts.
Who recovered the artifacts on display?
RMS Titanic, Inc. has conducted seven research and recovery expeditions to Titanic's wreck site in 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004. On June 7, 1994 the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia declared RMST salvor-in-possession of the wreck and wreck site of the RMS Titanic, excluding all others from going to the site for the purpose of recovery. RMST is the only entity that has recovered and conserved items from Titanic.
How many artifacts has RMS Titanic, Inc. recovered?
To date, RMS Titanic, Inc. has recovered more than 5,500 objects from the wreck site, ranging from delicate porcelain dishes to a 17-ton section of the hull.
Why is it important to recover and conserve artifacts from the Titanic's wreck site?
The bottom of the deep ocean is a hostile environment. Over time, man-made objects will be consumed by bacteria, abraded by sediments, and corroded by salt and acids. Even the Ship itself is slowly being destroyed by iron-eating microorganisms and will one day collapse on the ocean floor. Artifacts that are not recovered from the wreck site will eventually be lost. RMS Titanic, Inc. is committed to recovering, conserving, and exhibiting artifacts from the Titanic’s wreck site to help preserve the physical memory of the Ship and the people who perished in the disaster. Through these activities, people all over the world have the opportunity to see three-dimensional objects that bore witness to the sinking and to gain new insights into the human dimensions of the tragedy.
Where else is the exhibition on display?
Current U.S. venues: Las Vegas; New York City; Rochester, NY; St. Paul, Minnesota
International venue: Lisbon, Portugal
The exhibition been seen by more than 22 million people around the world.
What is the admission policy for ASTC reciprocal members?
ASTC reciprocal members receive free admission to the Science Center's permanent exhibits and pay member price for Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition as well as for IMAX films.
Where is the most convenient Science Center parking, and what is the cost?
A parking lot is adjacent to the Science Center and can be entered by turning right off of River Road or Main Street at 8th Street. Parking is $5.00. Other convenient lots are located within walking distance.
