A journey through Titanic's artifacts

WITH a replica boarding pass of an actual passenger onboard the Titanic, I embarked on a journey through about 275 authentic artifacts -- 14 of which have never been seen before such as China wares etched with the logo of the elite White Star Line, sheet music and jewelry items, and extensive re-creations of the First and Third Class Cabins, the Grand Staircase, Boiler Room and other locations on Titanic.

In my trip to Singapore in November last year, me and three other lady journalists stepped on board RMS Titanic for the first time in Southeast Asia, and experienced the majestic and dramatic maiden voyage of the iconic Ship almost 100 years after it set sail in April 1912.

"Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition" at the ArtScience Museum of Marina Bay Sands takes visitors through the ship's conception, construction, sailing day, life on board, the famous iceberg, Titanic's sinking, the discovery of the wreck, while all throughout telling the incredible stories of her passengers and crew.

Nearly 100 years after the world's largest ship set sail with over 2,200 people on board and sank in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean four days after, the ArtScience Museum brings to life the timeless story of RMS Titanic, her passengers and crew in Titanic from October 2011 to April 29, 2012.

These artifacts were rescued from more than 3,800m below the ocean surface at the ship's final resting place, offering visitors a poignant look at this iconic Ship and her passengers.

The use of authentic artifacts and extensive room re-creations combined with the compelling stories of the passengers and crew have made this exhibition one of the most successful exhibition in the world with more than 25 million tickets sold to date. Items from the ship's construction, vials of perfume from a maker who was traveling to New York to sell his samples, china etched with the logo of the elite White Star Line, postage stamps, sheet music, coins, jewelry, personal items and many other authentic objects offer historical insights into the life and times of travelers of that era and the wide socio-economic disparity between rich and poor.

Tom Zaller, museum director, ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, said "Titanic is such an iconic Ship with such a powerful story to tell that we're proud to present Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at such an equally iconic venue. For the first time in Singapore and Southeast Asia, visitors will be able to travel back in time to relive Titanic's majestic maiden voyage and experience the drama that unfolded as the world’s largest ship sank to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean."

Occupying 2,500 square meters of gallery space, the exhibition will show the magnitude of Titanic using real artifacts recovered from the wreck site. A total of nine galleries will take visitors through the ship's conception, construction, sailing day, life on board, the famous iceberg, titanic's sinking, the discovery of the wreck, while all throughout telling the incredible stories of her passengers and crew.

We marveled at the re-created grandeur of the 27-foot high Grand Staircase, an exact replica and reconstruction of the real Grand Staircase on Titanic. We experienced first-hand the freezing temperature when Titanic sank by pressing our palms against an interactive "Iceberg Wall."

To experience the luxurious decor of Titanic’s "First Class Cabin," visitors will see a precise replica of the cabin with details such as furniture, carpet, bed structure and bathroom facilities.

The "Discovery Gallery" takes visitors through the key milestones of Titanic’s expeditions as divers searched for the Titanic wreck, the ship's final discovery in 1985 and the science of how the wreck has been monitored and artifacts recovered at such extreme depth.

In the "Memorial Gallery," guests will take their boarding pass to the "Memorial Wall" and discover whether their passenger and traveling companions survived or perished.

To understand the impact of Titanic in Singapore, a new gallery is being created. Named "Singapore 1912," the gallery will be dedicated to local connections where visitors can learn about how the sinking of the great ship strongly resonated in Singapore. Images of Singapore in the early 1900's and 1912 will be displayed alongside local newspaper articles that covered Titanic's disaster at the time.

The Titanic exhibit is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily until April 29, including weekends and public holidays. Last entry into the ArtScience Museum is at 9 p.m. Admission tickets are priced $24 for adults, $21 for senior citizens, and $P14 for children.