Ok, it’s travel to Skokie, but hear us out.
From now until September 2, a brief trip to Skokie might be just the thing, because Titanic: The Exhibition is worth seeing.
Titanic: The Exhibition is an interactive exhibition that has travelled the world telling the chronological and dramatic tale of the design, creation, launch, maiden voyage and tragedy of the largest and most luxurious ship in the world at that time. Guests will admire hundreds of artifacts that encompass items that survived the sinking of the Titanic and her sister ships, as well as props and costumes from the beloved James Cameron 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. Set inside fully immersive re-creations of the ship’s interior, the artifacts help navigate guests through Titanic’s timeline from sinking to underwater discovery.
Once “aboard,” visitors will receive a boarding pass corresponding with a passenger on the ship – allowing each guest to follow an individual passenger story as they explore the first, second, and third class galleries with their corresponding artifacts. The stories of love and loss culminate in the final galleries, showcasing personal effects and individual anecdotes surrounding a tribute wall where each passenger’s fate is revealed.
Music from the era plays throughout the exhibit as patrons examine incredibly detailed recreations of the ship’s interiors including a two-story full-scale recreation of the ship’s famous Grand Staircase, the first class hallway and millionaires suite, the third class hallway and cabin, the boiler room, and the ship exterior promenade deck complete with a starry night sky.
The Discovery Gallery, dedicated to the discovery and research of the Titanic’s wreckage site, features a raised glass floor; simulating the impression of walking along the ocean floor. Broken china in the sand allows visitors to experience some of what discovery teams saw during dives to the Titanic site.
The exhibit is open Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm at Westfield Old Orchard (4963 Old Orchard Road) in Skokie, IL. Tickets start at $29.00 for adults, with discounts for kids, seniors, military and groups, and can be purchased here.