Sometimes the only way to find out surprising facts about yourself is through trial and error.
For instance, am I the type of history nerd that would pay good money to see the recovered artifacts from the world’s most infamous luxury cruise liner?
Why yes. Yes, I am.
To be clear, the collection is from the legendary doomed ship that sank in the North Atlantic in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912 – 110 years ago.
Recovered items – like a battered deck chair, china and personal belongings – are among the many diverting and interesting displays guests can enjoy at one of the more improbably successful attractions in the history of tourism: The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Is the Titanic in Pigeon Forge the actual size of the original?
The Titanic Pigeon Forge Museum Attraction is hard to miss when driving down the Parkway. The attraction is nothing if not noticeable driving into the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
The outside of the Titanic Museum is, in fact, half the size of the real RMS Titanic.
What is it you may ask? It’s a celebration of the ill-fated ship, its passengers and crew.
Is the Titanic Museum worth it?
But is it worth the price of admission? Let’s dive in and find out.
You can spend many an hour contemplating why a giant replica museum of RMS Titanic exists in the Great Smoky Mountains of Pigeon Forge – or in Branson, Missouri for that matter.
But ultimately that question is irrelevant for the simple fact that Titanic exists in Pigeon Forge and the whys and wherefores cease to exist once you climb aboard, so to speak.
Worth is always in the eye of the beholder, but climbing aboard the Titanic Pigeon Forge is likely to be an experience you won’t regret.
It’s worth it alone to see the detail that you will find throughout this attraction. The museum is inextricably linked to the blockbuster movie, though not affiliated in the least.
It’s hard to imagine – that even with Titanic’s historic legacy – the museum would exist without the movie.
As such, the grand staircase – which was such a central part of the movie – is also the central part of the museum, serving as a perfect replica complete with elaborate railings, an intricate vaulted ceiling and a cherub statue.
But to limit the appreciation of the museum to those who wish for a “King-of-the-World” moment is to dismiss the history nerd that exists in so many of us.
The displays, some of which are rotating, are diverting and informative.
The rooms are exact replicas of Titanic’s quarters and are akin to touring Versailles, Napoleon III’s quarters in the Louvre or the tours at Biltmore.
Read Also: Who owns the Biltmore Estate? The history of America’s largest home
What do you do at the Titanic in Pigeon Forge?
Like with many museums, you look at the displays, enjoy a variety of interactive exhibits and learn about its history.
Interactive exhibits include shoveling coal in the boiler room and learning how to send an SOS signal.
You can take a guided tour on the sloping decks and see the oak carvings.
You can also shop at the souvenir gift shop and soak in all the interesting information.
The displays are authentic Titanic items – and there are many. In fact, the museum houses nearly 400 Titanic artifacts.
There’s a power of being so near to those things that carry you across time and distance so that you don’t feel exactly that you are in a strangely located tourist attraction, rather a legitimate museum with a legitimate connection to our collective past.
And finally, you can walk through life-size replicas of some of the ship’s compartments and features including the grand staircase and the third-class hallways.
The employees and team members in crew costumes are excellent in adding to the experience of putting you aboard history’s best-known ship.
There is a delicacy that goes along with building a tourist attraction on the back of a great tragedy, even one that happened so long ago.
Titanic, somehow, walks that line.
I think a lot of that credit goes to a fairly obvious gambit.
When purchasing a ticket, visitors are given boarding passes with the names of passengers and crew – like Molly Brown, for example.
At the end of the tour, you find out whether or not your passenger lived.
It’s a very effective way of reminding you that there were real people who sank along with the Titanic, who desperately clung to that collection of life vests, mostly hoping in vain to survive the icy 28-degree water.
How long does it take to go through the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge?
This isn’t necessarily an “entire day” type of attraction. But I’d say it could at least be a half-day attraction if you stretch it out.
This also depends on what type of vacationer you are. I like to stretch my dollar and take my time.
At the very least, I would say plan to spend at least 2-3 hours at the Titanic Museum.
Anything short of that, and you may not be getting your money’s worth.
Can you take pictures inside the Titanic Museum?
Yes, you can now take photographs inside the Titanic Museum!
Both Titanic Museum locations in Pigeon Forge, TN and Branson, MO recently reversed their previous ban on personal photography inside the museum.
What attractions are near the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge?
The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge is located right along the main strip in Pigeon Forge – a popular tourist area. So there are many attractions nearby.
For example, WonderWorks, the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show and Beyond the Lens are all very close and conveniently located. This makes it easy to hit up more than one attraction in a single day.
Read Also: Alcatraz East vs Titanic Museum: Which attraction is better?
How much do Titanic Museum attraction tickets cost?
If you’re planning a trip to the Titanic Museum, we highly recommend that you book in advance online.
Tickets can be booked either directly on the Titanic Museum website or on Tripster.
Occasionally, Tripster even offers discounts on admission.
At the time of this writing, general admission is $35 for adults and $15 for children ages 5-12. Children under 4 are free.
Sometimes, you can find tickets on Tripster for as low as about $30 per adult.
For some quick math, that’s roughly $100 for about a half day’s entertainment for a family of four.
So is the Titanic Museum “worth it”?
Considering the fact that there are quicker ways to spend your money in Pigeon Forge in three hours, I would say yes, it’s worth checking out at least once.
The Titanic Museum is located at 2134 Parkway in Pigeon Forge, TN. For more information, visit the attraction’s website.
Have you been to the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge? Was it worth it? Let us know in the comments.
WE LOVED IT AND WILL CERTAINLY GO BACK!! I TRUELY LOVED THE TICKET IDEA! I WAS A LITTLE GIRL SURVIVOR AND SADLY MY HUSBAND WAS AN EMPLOYEE FROM THE THE GYM WHO DID NOT SURVIVE! VERY INTERESTING! 👍👍
I found the titanic museum to be a wonderful experience. I was transported back in time. The price was very worth it. I will go back again.
We have been 3 times and each time stayed 4 hours. Such a great place to learn. Well worth the money to see and feel what the passengers saw. Interactive things to do. Look forward to next visit.
I have been to this museum and it is worth every penny!!!! Very beautiful and heartbreaking I loved every second of it!
One of my favorite places! I have been there twice. Both times found out different things I didn’t know! If I were to ever move to Gatlinburg, TN..this is the place I would work! Love it there. And the workers were so nice! Yes! It is highly recommended!!!
We loved it but I wished they would have spent a little more and built the stern section of the ship and made that into a restaurant serving Titanic delights. Canada supposed to have a similar museum in the works that has a similar scale ship but it will be complete and a walkable A deck.
My husband and I went for our honeymoon in March of this year (2021). We absolutely loved it. It was a great learning experience as well as a sobering one too. What broke my heart the most was all the children that perished because of their status.
Way too expensive! And other museums have done a much better job without making it a tourist trap. That aspect cheapens the memory of those who died.
We loved it. I found my ancestors’ name on the wall showing who perished. He was a fireman, worked in the belly of the ship stoking the huge furnaces, George Milford. This place has a special place in my heart.
My Son,daughter in law and myself went.It was so worth it.we stayed there for about 4 hrs.and I didn’t want to leave.I absolutely love history and to walk thru this journey was like I was actually on the titanic.I think I actually read all the history and life story about the passengers,crew and the boat,I recommend groups to do this tour,such as schools,churches,groups of friends,families,I would pay to see it all over again
I have been many times and love it. I highly recommend.
Definitely worth the money. Took us about 2 1/2 hours to read the histories about the displays and exhibits. The touching the iceberg was nice, but the grand staircase and the lego titanic were the kids favorites.
I have been a couple times. I mostly remember going as a field trip in middle school (since I grew up in East Tennessee). It was an informative trip that wasn’t too hard to understand as a kid. Also I think it avoided being boring for middle schoolers. would recommend going at least once.