Most Expensive Artifact Returns to Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge is now home to the most expensive artifact from the RMS Titanic! The Hartley violin is priced at $1.7 million, and you can see it when you visit the Titanic Museum. We’ve got all the details on the story behind the violin and more information about the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge.
Hartley Violin at the Titanic Museum
The Hartley violin is one of the most requested artifacts that visitors want to see. Wallace Hartley, the bandleader on the Titanic, played the violin to passengers as the ship sank in 1912. The violin sold at an auction for $1.7 million, which is the highest price ever paid for a Titanic artifact. Mary Kellogg, president, COO and co-owner of the Titanic Museum, said that the violin is the most requested artifact visitors want to see again and it’s a reminder of the Titanic’s final moments. The violin will be on display at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge until December of 2020.
The video below will help you learn more about the Hartley violin!
(Please note: The video states the violin is on display in the Titanic Museum in Branson, which is where it was before being moved to Pigeon Forge. Now, you can find it on display at the Pigeon Forge museum.)
More Artifacts at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge
The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge is home to more than 400 artifacts. These artifacts have come directly from the ship and its passengers and are now on display for visitors to see! Many of the artifacts are on display for the first time, and the entire collection has a value of more than $4.5 million. The artifacts help tell the stories of the passengers and crew members who were on board the Titanic and include everything from pocket watches to instruments.
More About the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge
When you step inside the Titanic Museum, you’ll feel as if you’re climbing on board the actual RMS Titanic. The first thing you’ll receive is a boarding pass of a passenger or crew member who was on the Titanic. When you visit the Memorial Room in the museum, you’ll see if the person on your boarding pass survived the tragedy. While seeing all the artifacts throughout the museum is a highlight of visiting, there are a number of interactive exhibits that make your experience even better! You’ll be able to walk the Grand Staircase, which is an exact replica of the actual Grand Staircase, and dip your hand into 28-degree water, which was the temperature of the water when the ship sank. Other activities in the museum include:
- Touching an iceberg
- Shoveling coal in the boiler room
- Learning how to send an SOS signal
- Trying to stand on the sloping decks of the ship’s stern
- Sitting in a lifeboat and listening to passengers’ stories
- Visiting Tot-Titanic, an interactive area for kids
Get your tickets to the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge through Visit My Smokies, and save $3 on admission!
More Museums in Pigeon Forge
The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge is one of the most popular museum attractions in the area. You’ll love visiting to see all the artifacts from the ship, including the violin! Museums are a great way to combine both education and fun on vacation. You’ll get to learn about the Titanic by experiencing it firsthand, and it’s not the only fun museum you can visit in the area! Learn more about other popular museums in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and decide where you want to go on your vacation!