THE TITANIC OF PIGEON FORGE

SHE MAY HAVE SET SAIL FROM SOUTHAMPTON ON HER ILL-FATED VOYAGE TO NEW YORK OVER 98 YEARS AGO BUT THE TITANIC IS ALIVE AND WELL, IN RURAL TENNESSEE. STANDING 100 FEET TALL AND THREE DECKS HIGH, THE HALF SCALE REPLICA OF THE ICONIC SHIP'S BOW IS EXPECTED TO ATTRACT NEARLY ONE MILLION VISITORS. COSTING OVER £16 MILLION AND TAKING OVER A YEAR TO BUILD, THE TITANIC OF PIGEON FORGE IS BEING BILLED AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST MUSEUM ATTRACTION. BUILT TO INCLUDE A 30ft TALL REPLICA OF THE INFAMOUS ICEBERG OFF THE SHIP'S STARBOARD BOW, THE 30,000 SQUARE FOOT MUSEUM OPENED IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR TO CELEBRATE THE 1,517 PASSENGERS AND CREW WHO DIED ON 15.APRIL.1912. THE SECOND SUCH MUSEUM OF ITS KIND IN THE UNITED STATES, THE PIGEON FORGE TITANIC HAS AN IDENTICAL SISTER SHIP IN BRANSON MISSOURI. 'THIS MUSEUM IS NOT A THRILL RIDE OR HOLLYWOOD STYLE MUSEUM', SAID MARY KELLOGG-JOSLYN, THE TITANIC MUSEUM ATTRACTIONS OWNER. 'IT IS AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE THAT BRINGS IN ALL ELEMENTS OF THE FAMOUS AND TRAGIC TITANIC STORY FOR FAMILIES TO EXPERIENCE.' UPON ENTERING THE FRONT FOYER ENTRANCE, GUESTS ARE PRESENTED WITH A BOARDING PASS THAT HAS THE NAME OF ONE OF THE PASSENGERS FROM THE ILL-FATED VOYAGE, THEN THEY ARE SHOWN TO THE STUNNING £675,000 EXACT RECREATION OF THE SHIP'S GRAND STAIRCASE. 'WE HAVE 75 EMPLOYEES HERE WHO ARE DRESSED AS PART OF THE PERIOD', SAID KELLOGG-JOSLYN. 'SO WE HAVE STEWARDS AND SHIPS OFFICERS ALL WHO ARE IN CHARACTER AND WHO ARE ON HAND FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHIP AND ITS SINKING. THEY WILL EVEN JOKINGLY RE-DIRECT YOU IF YOU TRY TO ENTER OUR FIRST CLASS AREA IF YOU ARE FOUND TO HAVE A THIRD CLASS TICKET' INSIDE THE SHIP ARE UP TO 400 ARTIFACTS FROM THE ORIGINAL TITANIC, BUT KELLOGG-JOSLYN POINTS OUT, NONE ARE RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE WHICH WAS LOCATED IN 1985. 'WE HAVE WHITE STAR CUTLERY AND TEA SETS FROM THE COMPANY THAT BUILT THE SHIP IN BELFAST IN 1910. AND WE EVEN HAVE A TOOTH FROM A SECOND CLASS PASSENGER WHO HAD IT REMOVED AFTER SHE WAS RESCUED BECAUSE SHE SUFFERED A TOOTH ACHE WHILST ON THE SHIP. OUR MOST IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY IS THE LIFE-JACKET OF MADELINE ASTOR, THE AMERICAN HEIRESS AND MILLIONAIRE WHO WAS RESCUED FROM THE SINKING VESSEL.' THE ORIGINAL TITANIC MUSEUM IN BRANSON IS 13,000 SQUARE FEET SMALLER THAN THIS NEW VERSION AND AS SUCH, KELLOGG-JOSLYN EXPECTS VISITOR NUMBERS TO ALMOST DOUBLE. 'WE HAVE A REPLICAS THIRD CLASS CABIN THAT HAS FOUR BUNKS INSIDE AND SHOWS THE CONDITIONS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO DIED IN THE SINKING SHIP WERE LIVING IN BEFORE IT HIT THE ICEBERG. THERE IS AN APPROXIMATION OF THE BRIDGE WHICH WE HAVE LOOKING OUT TO THE STARRY NIGHT SKY, SO AS TO HELP VISITORS APPRECIATE VISIBILITY THAT NIGHT. AND WE HAVE ALSO INSTALLED A SECTION WHERE YOU CAN PLACE YOU HAND INSIDE A TANK OF WATER WHICH IS AT -2 (28f). THE TEMPERATURE THE SEA WAS WHEN THE SHIP SANK. THAT CAUSED THE MAJORITY OF THE DEATHS AS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO LAST MORE THAN 15 MINUTES IN THAT WATER.'