Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition has brought a glimpse of the Titanic tragedy to museums around the world for years.
It was the first exhibition produced and curated by Premier Exhibitions, an offshoot of RMS Titanic Inc., the internationally-recognized salvor-in-possession with exclusive rights to salvage the shipwreck. Since forming in 1987, RMS Titanic Inc. has conducted eight research expeditions and recovered more than 5,500 artifacts from the wreckage, which lies about 12,500 feet below the ocean off the coast of Newfoundland.
Premier Exhibitions Creative Director Mark Lach says the use of Titanic artifacts has evolved over the years from traditional museum displays into an opportunity for education through interaction. “The exhibition world was turning… toward things that captured the imagination, and were more than just artifacts in glass cases,” he explains. “They were experiences; they were emotional stories… The importance now is focused on making things more experiential—not forgetting that the artifacts are the main focus.”
Premier Exhibitions now hosts nearly a dozen major exhibitions, including Bodies Revealed, Dinosaurs Unearthed and The Discovery of King Tut, the first large-scale North American exhibition on the archeological finds of the Egyptian ruler’s tomb. Working with museums that are prepared and dedicated is a top priority, Lach says, as is being a dutiful partner. “To respect that institution, to respect the staff, to work closely with the staff to deliver the type of experience we’re both interested in providing… that’s been the most joyful part of this job for me.” a&s
To learn more about Premier Exhibitions, visit premierexhibitions.com.
