Back in 1912, the most famous ocean liner, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg and plummeted into the North Atlantic Ocean. On that fateful day, thousands of people who had planned to embark on a journey from Southampton, England to New York lost their lives. To carry on their memory and the beauty of the ocean liner, the World’s Largest Titanic Museum in the heart of Branson, Missouri has dedicated their time to collecting Titanic artifacts and sharing the stories of passengers and crew members.
The museum was founded by John Joslyn, who was once involved in the Hollywood film and TV industry but found himself grappling with an obsession with the RMS Titanic. In 1987, Joslyn went on a dive in a submersible to the ship’s wreckage. Joslyn and his expedition team spent 44 days at sea where they captured hours of footage, hundreds of photos, and collected artifacts from the shell of the ship at the bottom of the sea.
The museum is unlike any you’ve been to before; it’s a giant replica of the Titanic where guests can experience what it was like to be a passenger. Replica rooms, parlors, and the famed Grand Staircase can be explored while viewing over 400 artifacts valued at $4.5 million, from the actual Titanic. Unique experiences offered at the museum include touching a real iceberg, feeling the 28-degree water of the Atlantic, experiencing the sloping decks as the ship sank, and scooping coal in a makeshift boiler room.
One standout area was a room that highlighted the band members who continued to play until the ship went down. All the members of the Titanic band passed away onboard.
At the start of your self-guided tour, you will receive a replica boarding pass that contains the information of someone who was actually a passenger or crew member on the Titanic. This makes the experience of walking through the hallways and rooms even more real, imaging yourself as a passenger back in the 1900’s. At the end of the museum walkthrough, the Titanic Memorial Room lined with 2,208 names reveals the fate of the passenger on your boarding pass.
The coolest part of the museum was the Grand Staircase that was constructed from the original Harland & Wolff plans. The Staircase has the signature oak carvings and cherub statue as seen in photos and in the movie Titanic (1997). The glass dome over the Staircase reflects outside light throughout the stairwell and makes for a great photo opportunity.
If you decide to visit this amazing museum soon, you may get there just in time to see it all decorated for the holiday season. The Grand Staircase and other areas of the museum will be decked out in garland and red bows, bringing history and holiday together. Reservations are filling up fast this season, so make them soon!
Note that filming in the museum is now prohibited as well as still photography on the first floor of the museum. Visitors are allowed to take still photos on the second floor portion of the tour.
The museum is open most days of the week with hours from 9 AM to 7 PM, but make sure to check their website for updated information as hours may change. General admission for adults is $34.00, children 5 to 12 are $15.00, and children under 5 are free. A special Family One-Day Pass for 2 Adults and up to 4 Children (ages 18 and under) is available for $115.00. You won’t want to miss an experience like this!