Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

That fateful night of 15th April, 1912, was one of the most significant tragic disasters in the history of modern seafaring, no less because White Star Line's behemoth passenger liner “Titanic” had been proudly extolled as “the ship that cannot sink”. RMS Titanic set forth on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, on 10th April, 1912, headed for the ambitious metropolis of New York - only Titanic would never complete her journey. Now, the real story of Titanic, her crew and her passengers is once again evoking emotion and intrigue in the entertainment capital of the world – Las Vegas.

Previously housed within the Tropicana Hotel, “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” moved across to its new home at the Luxor in 2008, taking with it the exquisite replica installation of Captain Edward J. Smith's suite fireplace and over 300 recovered artifacts from the shipwreck. Weighing in at 15 tonnes and over 26 feet in length “The Big Piece” is without doubt the most noticeable feature as you step inside the entrance hall. A sheath plate of rusted steel and corroded framework, this is just a small portion of Titanic's hull, raised from the sea-bed in 2005 and currently the largest recovered artifact ever to have been returned from Titanic. The sheet is surprisingly well preserved given the corrosive nature of the shipwreck's environs, some 1,200 feet below the Atlantic. Although you can't touch it, there's an overwhelming sense of awe at merely standing in the presence of such a huge slice of Titanic's tragic history.

Nearby, the dulled shell of the crow's nest bell glimmers under LED spotlights, encased in a huge glass column lest air should accelerate its declining shine. Yet another surprise lies in wait – the darkened hull door of the first class passenger level, still punctured with rivets and retaining the glass of its porthole, inset some 103 years ago during Titanic's construction. Stop by the Replicas Exhibition for another journey back in time, as it's here the huge reproduction staircase was fitted, giving visitors a glimpse of the grandeur enjoyed by first class passengers. You can also walk out upon the first class deck, a promenade brought to life with the sound of waves lapping against the side of the “boat”, twinkling stars upon a velvet night sky and moving waves on the plasma screen horizon. A replication of one of the first class suites also offers a glimpse of the finery enjoyed by the wealthy and elite - a stark contrast to the two-bunk third class cell with barely enough room to swing a cat.

Personal artifacts abound within “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition”, many having undergone an intensive desalination process prior to being put on display. Remarkably intact leather boots; handbags once belonging to first class aristocracy and smoking cases comprise just some of the immensely personal and somewhat emotional exhibits, along with personal papers, Bibles and key fobs to the original accommodation suites of the ill-fated ship. To see these elements once cherished by women, children and menfolk (many of whom believed their ticket aboard the Titanic was the ticket to a new life) is perhaps the ultimate way The Artifact Exhibition hammers the real story home. The story of multiple generations of people who saw Titanic as the beginning of a future, that came to such an abrupt and unpredictably tragic end.