Titanic: The Exhibition

I had the privilege of attending the Titanic exhibition at Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie! Here are the details!

Where: Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie, IL (in the old Bloomingdale’s space) 

When: February 2024 – May 2024 (now extended!)

Who: All ages! Children under 4 are free.

Tickets: https://thetitanicexhibition.com

A Mystifying and Thrilling Self-Guided Tour

I’ve always been fascinated by the story of the Titanic. The interactive exhibition tells the chronological and dramatic tale of the design, creation, launch, maiden voyage and tragedy of the largest and most luxurious ship in the world in the early 1900s.

We got to see hundreds of artifacts that either survived the sinking of the Titanic, or were recovered from similar sister ships. Some of my favorites were dinnerware and china and furniture. We also got to walk through and admire re-creations of the ship’s interior!

Once “aboard,” you receive a boarding pass corresponding with a passenger on the ship – allowing you to follow an individual passenger’s story as you explore the first, second, and third class galleries with their corresponding artifacts. The exhibition revealed each passenger’s fate at the end. It was all very eye opening and made us feel closer to the passengers.

Titanic Scenes

I was SO impressed to see how perfectly the exhibition recreated various parts of the ship. My favorite was a two-story full-scale recreation of the ship’s famous Grand Staircase! Other highlights include 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 exhibition is so detailed, with music from the era playing throughout. At the end, we got to see some props and costumes from James Cameron’s beloved 1997 film, Titanic.

Titanic Discovery Gallery

We were fascinated by the Discovery Gallery, dedicated to the discovery and research of the Titanic’s wreckage site. It features a raised glass floor, simulating the impression of walking along the ocean floor. The broken china in the sand made us feel like we were seeing what the discovery teams saw during dives to the Titanic site. On the wall is a stunning video display of the ship’s current state on the seafloor, covered in rusticles.

If you are as interested in the eerie and sad story of the Titanic, I hope I’ve convinced you to pay this exhibit a visit! The sinking of the Titanic has influenced modern boat safety in many significant ways. The exhibit was memorable, emotional, and something that will stay with me for a long time. 

Head to my Instagram reel and stories about the exhibit!

What are you waiting for!? Get your tickets at https://thetitanicexhibition.com

-Roxanne