Thank you to Titanic Museum Pigeon Forge for providing me with complimentary admission to their attraction. All thoughts are my own.

Several months ago, my eight-year-old son became facinated with the story of the Titanic. Thanks to a book that he checked our from the schoool library, he quickly became obsessed with the haunting distaster that took place on the Titanic's maiden voyage in the early 1900's. On our recent trip to Pigeon Forge, we were thrilled to be able to take B to the ultimate Titanic experience at Titanic Pigeon Forge- something that was at the top of his 'must do' list.

Titanic Pigeon Forge is home to the world's largest Titanic museum attraction. This permanent attraction, located in the heart of Pigeon Forge, TN is such an amazing, educational experience for all ages. I share a love for knowledge based on distasters. When I was a child, I was obsessed with wanting to know more about the Jonestown, PA flood. B had been asking us to take him to the 'Titanic Museum' for months, and when we planned our holiday trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, we knew we had to incorporate a visit to this spectacular attraction.

Titanic Pigeon Forge draws visitors in from the moment they lay their eyes on the larger than life replica of the famous ship. To me, there's always been a lot of mystery surrounding what happened to the Titanic and the people on board. Titanic Pigeon Forge works tirelessly to connect people today with those who were on board the ship during its fateful voyage by telling their incredible stories- some of which are stories of survival.

Would my passenger survive the Titanic disaster? I was eager to find out.

As visitors wait to board the Titanic, each person is handed a Boarding Pass of an actual Titanic passenger/crew member. This is a pass that is yours to use throughout the ship, and then take home with you. Be sure to read through your passenger's information, and hold onto the boarding pass. At the end of your journey through the interior of Titanic Pigeon Forge, you will find out whether or not the person listed on your boarding pass survived the Titanic disaster.

Visitors are also given headsets, which allow for a self-guided walk through. Instructions are given before entering into the exhibits. There are over 400 artifacts directly from the ship and its passengers at Titanic Pigeon Forge. It was absolutely incredible to walk through and see everything from clothing and jewelry to silverware, letters, and more. The kids really enjoyed looking at a replica of the Titanic, which showed each level of the ship, and what would have been in each area.

**Just a note before you go: photography is not allowed as you walk through the exhibits at Titanic Pigeon Forge. There is an area toward the end of the ship where you can take photos, and there will be signs denoting where you can and cannot take photos.

My husband and brother-in-law particularly enjoyed learning about how the Titanic was constructed and all of the events that took place to prepare it for its maiden voyage. There are knowledgable crew members stationed throughout Titanic Pigeon Forge who are ready to answer your questions about the Titanic.

It was really harrowing to walk through the exhibits and hear the stories of the men and women who boarded the ship with their children, many of whom would lose their lives in the end. I tried to put myself in the shoes of mothers who had to endure that absolute horror with small children or infants at their sides. So incredibly sad. Another moving story was that of the orchestra that was on board. I won't spoil it by telling you what happened, but the live story-telling (with the addition of live music played on violin) made the story come to life, and being from a family of musicians, we all felt like we could relate to the orchestra director and what he did during the time of absolute chaos on board the Titanic.

Photo courtesy of Titanic Pigeon Forge

The Grand Staircase was one of my favorite parts of walking through Titanic Pigeon Forge. The replica is simply gorgeous, and visitors are able to walk up and down the staircase as they make their way through the exhibits. The kids absolutely loved this part of the ship and were so excited to walk up and down the steps. It really was exquisite!

Photo courtesy of Titanic Pigeon Forge

I think everyone's favorite part of walking through Titanic Pigeon Forge was getting to experience the Stary Night that the disaster occurred by way of the deck replica. We walked 'outside' onto the deck and were surrounded by darkness, cool temperatures, and a real iceberg, which visitors are welcome to touch. Visitors can also place their hands into 28-degree water, the exact temperature of the water the night the Titanic went down. Could you imagine trying to tread water in water that cold?

We also loved seeing replicas of staterooms. We've been on a couple of cruises, and the comparison between staterooms was unreal! I think my oldest realized how spoiled he is in today's world compared to kids who lived in the early over 100 years ago.

Photo Courtesy of Titanic Pigeon Forge

If you have kids with you on this amazing journey through Titanic Pigeon Forge, they will love the Discovery Room. This is the interactive zone for families, where you can sit in a lifeboat, check out even more photos and info about the Titanic, and even try to steady yourself on a series of major inclines, which gives you an idea of what it was like to try to keep solid footing as the Titanic began to sink. There's also a play area for little ones, which we truly appreciated, as it gave our toddler a chance to get her wiggles out.

Another extremely cool thing to see is the LEGO replica of the Titanic, which was built by a young boy. Absolutely incredible, and B really enjoyed this!

Before leaving the ship, you'll walk through the Titanic Memorial Room, where 2,208 names line the historic wall. This is where you will find out whether or not the passenger on your boarding pass survived the Titanic disaster. While we were visiting, visitors were asked to place the name of their passenger on an ornament that was to be hung on the Christmas tree in this beautiful room. It was such a wonderful way to honor the memory of those who lost their lives.

The visit to Titanic Pigeon Forge was incredibly educational. I learned so much about the Titanic that I never even knew before. It was also pretty emotional to make personal connections to the people who were on board the ship. There is so much to see and do at Titanic Pigeon Forge that we've already decided that we need to plan another visit! We loved it, and I absolutely encourage you to make plans to visit this awesome attraction the next time you're in Pigeon Forge or the surrounding area.

Want to go? Plan your visit!

Head to Titanic Pigeon Forge to learn more about this famous attraction and how you can plan your visit. Tickets are $26.50 for adults, $14.00 for kids age 5-11, and 4 & under are free. 

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Have you ever been to this amazing attraction? 

I'd love to hear about your visit! Drop me a comment below.