Hidden down a side street, and occupying the second and third floor of a building only a stone’s throw from the water, the Portland Science Center opened in the summer of 2015. I missed their first display, the popular Body Worlds exhibit that’s been traveling across the nation, but I was excited to attend their newest show that opened just this past weekend: Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.

After all, who can resist Jack and Rose and love that never dies and . . . oh, yeah, this isn’t about the movie. It’s about the actual ship and the tragedy that struck in the form of an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912, killing 1517 people. It’s about the artifacts that have been recovered, items that may seem mundane until you consider that they’ve been recovered from over 12,500 feet beneath the ocean’s surface. It’s about remembering those that lost their lives.

There’s not much I can say to elaborate on what you probably already know. I will say that the exhibit was an experience I’m glad to have not missed. The Science Center did a great job of personalizing the experience by issuing a replica ticket to each patron, with the details of one passenger on the back side. At the end of the exhibit there are memorial walls where you can discover the fate of ‘your’ passenger.

Also on display are replicas of the rooms, menus, and items provided by the shipping company for the comfort of its passengers, all examples of the separation of the classes on-board the ship.

If you get the chance, step back in time and experience the short-lived history of the Titanic. It’s a truly humbling experience.