Review: TITANIC THE EXHIBITION Is A Captivating Collection Of Information and Artefacts From The Ill Fated Ship, Its Sister Ships And The Subsequent Movies About The

The Byron Kennedy Hall, The Entertainment Quarter, 122 Lang Road, Moore Park

Almost 105 years to the day that the famous unsinkable ship departed on her maiden voyage on the 10th of April 1912, BWW-Sydney had the opportunity to visit TITANIC THE EXHIBITION. As part of a National tour, TITANIC THE EXHIBITION finally arrived in Sydney to share the facts of the famous ship with eager crowds. Bringing together a collection of items from the famous liner, its sister ship and the shipping line, the White Star Line, and James Cameron's award winning movie, the audience is treated to a somewhat immersive experience.

Visitors are first given a replica of the original boarding passes, completed with the details of one of the 1300+ passengers from the maiden voyage, before they are greeted at the end of a gangway for a souvenir photograph (extra charges apply). The exhibition is self guided with plenty of placards summarising the history from the original concept, through its mammoth construction in Belfast, presented 'next to' a replica of the ships hull with the huge rivets and iconic black hull with russet anti-fouling for below the waterline. It then brings guests onboard through the corridors of the accommodation decks before opening up to an exploration of the opulence that the First Class passengers would experience, complete with artifacts from the White Star Line particularly Titanic's sister ship which was fitted out with the same textiles, silverware and china. There are smaller exhibits of the life of the Second and Third Class passengers before the size of the furnices that fuelled the three steam engines is recreated before returning to the upper decks to experience a promenade deck. Following a breakdown of the 2 hours and 40 minutes it took for the ship to sink, the media aftermath is shown along with a record of the survivors and the lives lost, at which point visitors can search for the person whose ticket they are holding. The images from the submersibles that discovered the wreckage are haunting and this space forms a more reflective space than the previous hall.

Along with the White Star Line's artifacts and a smaller number objects that were for one reason or another, taken off before the ship sailed or saved by survivors, the exhibition includes pieces from James Cameron's movie set including the iconic staircase where guests have another photo opportunity and the mythical Heart of The Sea necklace Cameron's Rose returns to the ship. There is also computer generated recreations for audio visual documentary clips presented throughout the tour along with an interesting interview with the submersible team that discovered the wreck and have sought to piece together what actually happened on the night of April 14 and the morning of April 15 1912 as the ship went down and scattered across the ocean floor.

This exhibition is well worth a visit for anyone that has been captivated by the famous story of the unsinkable ship. It is moving and includes a good level of detail for those that are interested in learning more than the Hollywood love story. The capacity of the venue is controlled by timed entries but once you are in, you can view at your own pace with the website suggesting allowing one to two hours. This reviewer who has a maritime background and connections with wreck diving spent two and a half hours in the exhibition so give yourself sufficient time to absorb the information, take in the excesses of the era along with contemplating the heroism and cowardice that was exhibited in the ship's final moments.

TITANIC - The Exhibition

http://www.titanictheexhibition.com.au/

Byron Kennedy Hall, Entertainment Quarter

Venue: The Byron Kennedy Hall, The Entertainment Quarter, 122 Lang Road, Moore Park

Dates: From Saturday 8 April, 2017

Times: From 10am to 6pm (but later on certain days - check the website for details)

Prices: Adult from $32, Concession from $27, Junior from $18, Family Pass from $70* *Based on off-peak prices. A one off service/transaction fee of $3.95 applies to all bookings.

Titanic Tuesdays -Every Tuesday in the School Holidays all sessions at the off-peak price Monday 10 April - Celebrate the Anniversary of the Sailing of the Titanic on 10 April, 1912 - All Tickets for All Sessions Only $15

Booking Information: www.titanictheexhibition.com.au or 132 849 Groups & Schools call 1300 364 001.

Parking: Two hours free parking (subject to availability) included in your ticket and available at Wilson Parking at The Entertainment Quarter (enter via Lang Road).

Public Transport: Many bus routes travel along Anzac Parade and visitors should alight at Lang Road.

Packaging Partner: Virgin Australia Holidays will be offering a wide range of Travel Packages featuring the Titanic Exhibition.

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