Titanic: An Immersive Voyage sets sail at Union Station in Kansas City
More than a century after nearly 1,500 people lost their lives when the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, interest in the ill-fated ship and its passengers remains as great as ever. A new exhibit at Union Station in Kansas City lets visitors experience what it may have been like to be onboard on the night of April 14, 1912.
Titanic: An Immersive Voyage features more than 200 objects throughout 12 imaginatively themed galleries, including works of art, artifacts, memorabilia, props and innovative technology to view the wreck site.
“Titanic is the most enchanting ship of all time and is revered by many as an iconic gem,” said John Zaller, executive producer at Exhibition Hub. “Our voyage engages the Titanic story like never before. Our expertise in exhibition design and immersive storytelling creates an unforgettable emotional connection to Titanic. We’re delighted to tell this immortal story in our signature humanistic and immersive style, and to share it with guests around the world, including in Kansas City at your historic Union Station.”
Guests board the luxurious ship through a recreation of the Southampton, England, maiden voyage dock. They then set sail through an immersive series of Titanic rooms that transport them back in time to meet fellow passengers, pause for iconic photos and experience moment-by-moment the series of events that led to the tragedy known around the world.
The exhibit also highlights local connections to the tragedy. Several passengers were immigrating from Europe to start a new life in Kansas City. Molly Brown of Hannibal, Mo. (better known as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” was one of the more famous survivors. And coincidentally, Union Station was under construction at the time of the disaster.
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Visitors encounter artifacts from Titanic and its sister vessels the Olympic and the Britannic, as well as objects from Carpathia and Californian, two additional ships key to Titanic’s story. Included are the Heart of the Ocean, Artemis statue, one of seven fully intact deck chairs, fine china, employee uniforms and more. A self-paced, downloadable audio guide (available in English, Spanish and French) is included to narrate each step of the way.
Among many first-time exhibition elements are an invitation to board a lifeboat to witness Titanic’s final, dramatic moments. Seeing the distress calls and the responses from other ships in the area add a layer of reality that is particularly poignant. In the final room, guests have the option (with an additional ticket) to be fitted with state-of-the-art virtual reality technology and journey to the Titanic wreck site to explore and interact with their physical surroundings.
Titanic: An Immersible Voyage is now open and will continue until April 2026. Because high attendance is anticipated, Union Station officials encourage visitors reserve a boarding time in advance. To purchase tickets, make reservations or learn more, visit www.unionstation.org.
–Lee Hartman | Metro Voice
