With just two weeks left before the Titanic Exhibition “sails off” to Albuquerque, The Mahaffey Theater has extended hours to accommodate visitors who would like to visit after hours during the work week. Hours have been extended from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, Feb. 25-March 1.
Last weekend saw a “record weekend attendance,” said Joe Santiago, general manager of The Mahaffey Theater. The two extra hours each day allows more people access to the exhibit at perhaps a more convenient time.
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition focuses on the legendary ocean liner’s compelling human stories as told through 200 artifacts never before seen in the Tampa Bay area, extensive room recreations and the recounting of the days on board by actors portraying characters Capt. Murdock and maid Mrs. Bliss. The RMS Titanic, the world’s largest ship, sank during its maiden voyage on April 15, 1912 after colliding with an iceberg. More than 1,500 lives were lost.
Visitors are drawn back in time to 1912 upon entrance to the exhibit, each receiving a replicated boarding pass held by an actual passenger. They begin their chronological journey through the life of Titanic, moving through the ship’s construction, to life on board to the sinking and the rescue efforts of the artifacts.
Among the artifacts on display are perfume vials from a maker traveling to New York to sell his samples, china etched with the logo of the White Star Line Oceanic Steam Navigation Co., a set of au gratin dishes, jewelry, personal papers and toiletry items.
Recent technological advances used during the 1910 recovery expedition have made it possible for scientists to piece together, from thousands of sequential images, a full picture of Titanic as it lies today. An interactive tool allows visitors to conduct personalized explorations of the wreck site. Video footage explains how the recovery took place and describes the technology that made it possible.
