Stuff Parents Need

Special thank you to the Titanic Museum Attraction for hosting my family on our trip experience. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Just over a week ago my family paid a visit to Pigeon Forge, TN for the first time ever, and our very first stop on our trip was to check out the Titanic Museum Attraction. Are you familiar with it?

Pigeon Forge is a city that is pretty overloaded with attractions. Business after business on the main highway is trying everything they can to get your attention. But the Titanic Museum Attraction stands out from the crowd. That’s because it is a giant replica of the famous ship!

When we arrived we were greeted by ladies dressed as female crew members of the Titanic, who offered us each passenger cards. I assumed that the assignments were completely random, but as we waited in line and read our cards, we realized that they had been carefully selected based on our estimated age and gender. I had the card of a mother on board with two children, for example. And both of my girls had cards telling the stories of passengers who were very young. I thought that was particularly compelling, as it connected you more to a story of someone who was on the ship and who you, as a guest, could relate to in some way.

As we were about to enter the museum, one of our guides said that the museum hoped to pay respect to those who lost their lives on that fateful night, and the best way they could think to do that was to simply tell their stories.

While no photographs are allowed inside the museum, I can tell you this: it is FULL of amazing artifacts (over 4 million dollars worth!) and fascinating stories. For just an additional $2.50, you can purchase an audio tour, which I very highly recommend, to add additional interesting details to each room you visit. And there are guides throughout the 22,000 square foot exhibit who will also share very insightful stories with you. They are highly knowledgeable about the Titanic and its passengers, and they welcome your questions. I could tell that it was a real pleasure for them to be able to share and educate others!

There is also an audio tour for children, which I listened to here and there while going through the exhibits. I thought it was absolutely terrific, and I was really impressed that something like that existed for the younger ones. Museums can seem a little dull to kids, at times, but I noticed several things that this museum has done to make it fun and interesting for children. Just this year, in fact, they have unveiled a special gallery dedicated to the children who were on board. Additionally, there are some interactive experiences that will pique the interest of children, such as being able to sit in a row-boat much like the ones that were on the ship that night, or a room where you can feel the water temperature and air temperature as it was on the night of the crash (this was also my favorite room…highly experiential and really made you feel like you were there, in that place and at that moment…chills!). You even have the opportunity to touch a GIANT block of ice and to kids can try to steer the ship!