Opened on Feb. 16, 2024, the Titanic exhibition was bought by Imagine Exhibitions and partnered with Fever and Westfield Old Orchard. The Titanic exhibit is an interactive experience that describes the history behind the infamous ship. From the ship’s design, launch, creation, voyage, and downfall, the exhibit transports you to 1912 and immerses you in the Titanic experience.
The exhibit is located in the northern part of Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, IL. It had a sold-out run in Moscow, Sydney, Los Angeles, Macau, and Perth. Ample parking is available around the building and the exhibit lasts for about two hours. All ages are welcome and admission is free for children under the age of four. The prices for admission for children, adults, and seniors vary on the date and time you purchase your tickets online through the company’s website. There is no student discount price listed on the website nor was made available to those at the exhibit.
Upon entering the exhibit, the employees will hand you a boarding pass that includes a profile of a passenger from the Titanic. The back side of the boarding pass displays the passengers’ names, ages, what class they were in, why they were traveling to North America on the Titanic, and whether they survived the sinking or not.
The beginning of the exhibit goes through the history of the White Star Line ship company and its development plans for creating the Titanic. Guests may examine display cases of postcards and newspapers announcing the development plan for the “unsinkable ship” and its magnificent appeal to people worldwide in the early 1900s. Over 300 artifacts from the Titanic and its sister ships are featured in the entire exhibit.
The First Class section is one of the first displays showcased as large signs at the entrance of each room guiding you to a new area of the exhibit. The First Class floor was phenomenal; with detailed recreations of the Grand Staircase, Gentlemen’s Lounge, and hallway interior appeared very life-like. A starry night sky to replicate the view passengers would see when they stepped outside on the balcony was also featured. The sky and the architectural design of the balcony completely transports guests to believe they’re passengers aboard the ship.
As guests walk down to the Second Class floor, the music changes to more upbeat, Irish jig music, whereas classical music was played throughout the First Class exhibit. In each section, the lighting shifted to different colors from red to yellow, to blue, and truly set the mood for the history you were learning on each plaque and board for an ethereal experience.
The exhibit concludes with a section dedicated to the lives that were lost during the Titanic. The song playing on the speakers, “Nearer My God to Thee”, was performed by the band up until the ship sank entirely and played in the background while guests examined the wall of passengers in first, second, and third class and the crew who survived or died. As “Nearer My God to Thee” played on the speakers, one couldn’t help but feel sympathy for those who lived through this horrific event and those who lost their lives for simply trying to make it to North America.
Explore the complete exhibition and its multiple artifact displays now until May 5, 2024 to learn more about the “Millionaire’s Special”.
