Titanic: The Exhibition, London

Given it was a technological marvel in its day, and the nature of the unfortunate, cataclysmic event that sunk it, the Titanic has left a deep impression in the minds of everyone, not least the United Kingdom and Ireland, where the bought originally sailed from.

With such a history, it’s no surprise that several museums and exhibits have opened across the countries. Probably the most famous is the exhibit in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Titanic: The Exhibition, in London.

It’s the latter that we’re going to be discussing today, as we take you through the biggest exhibit in the United Kingdom, to one of its most impressive seafaring achievements, and one of its biggest and most famous tragedies.

From what to expect, to things that you should keep note of when visiting, we’ve got it all here!

What To Expect

So, what exactly should you expect from this particular exhibit?

The Location

Firstly, you’ll want to know exactly where in London you’ll find this exhibit!

You’ll find Titanic: The Exhibition in Dock X, Unit 1, in the Canada Water Retail Park.

The Post/ZIP code is SE16 2XU.

The closest tube station, Canada Water, is a short 5 minutes away (need information about the London Underground? Find our guide here).

The Exhibit

So, what exactly does the exhibit entail?

Well, once you have entered the exhibit, you will be given a boarding pass, that corresponds to a number that one of the passengers received when they boarded the fabled ship on its final maiden voyage.

Throughout the exhibit, you’ll see key features of the Titanic that have been painstakingly reconstructed, from the iconic grand staircase to a variety of the different cabins that were offered to passengers of the vessel, including the 1st and 3rd class cabins!

One of the reasons that this location, in particular, was chosen was the choice to include the Discovery Gallery, a glass floor that allows you to walk along a recreation of the seabed that the Titanic now rests on.

And of course, there are tons of extras for you to see, including the stunning photo gallery of the titanic, by Emory Kristof, as well as belongings from passengers of the Titanic, giving onlookers a tragic reminder that this was a real event.

Along the way, you’ll also be fed survivors’ accounts of the day, detailing what their lives were like and the events they experienced, further reinforcing that real-world effect that can sometimes become lost when discussing historical events like this.

What You’ll Learn

Titanic: The Exhibition is as much a narrative that unfolds as you explore the exhibit, as much as it is a detailing of events that lead to the ship’s construction and its unfortunate fate.

What Makes it Special

If it wasn’t already clear from our description in the previous section, much effort has been put into recreating key aspects of the real Titanic, to give a real-world tangibility to the events that took place in 1912.

Considering that the original currently lies at the bottom of the ocean, decomposing and deteriorating, exhibits like this do a lot to inform the public.

Not only that, but the survivor’s accounts of the events are something that won’t soon be forgotten, from the sheer sustained terror of the unsinkable being dragged to the depths, to the acts of heroism performed by the crew and other passengers.

Plus, it is impossible to deny the effort that went into creating these exhibits, front he fine details of the staircase, to even the recreation of the seabed in the Discovery gallery.

Ticket Prices

While Titanic: The Exhibition is currently sold out for the season, it should be known that individual tickets are not sold for this attraction.

You’ll need to book for a group of 4 to 6 people when booking your tickets.

Discounts are offered to Seniors over 65, students between 13 and 26, and National Health Service workers.

You can also get a discount if you are part of a group larger than 6, although at least 6 have to have standard tickets, rather than other discounts.

Booking In Advance

As tickets sell very quickly for this exhibit, you’ll need to book well in advance to make sure that your groupies are booked into a time slot.

Visits usually take anywhere from 60 to 180 minutes, depending on the pace at which you go through the exhibit.

Closing Thoughts – Is it Worth Your Time?

So, is this the best Titanic museum/exhibit that you can go to in the United Kingdom? Does it beat out Belfast’s exhibit?

Between the two, it’s honestly a tie for us. Given that much of the Titanic was built in and around Belfast, the personal connection is hard to beat, even for this exquisite exhibit.

However, if you’re a fan of history and the Titanic, and you’re in London for a few days, this should be on your itinerary!