The enduring story of the ill-fated White Star liner RMS Titanic continues to fascinate people 109 years after the disaster. The ship and the tragedy of its passengers and crew are some of the few events in history that have immediate name recognition. There is a seemingly never-ending fascination with Titanic.
This summer, the Oshkosh Public Museum will unveil a unique exhibition, Titanic: The Wisconsin Connection. Over two years in the making, this exceptional exhibition is based on in-depth research of Wisconsin passengers conducted by Museum staff and researchers from Experiential Media Group (E/M Group), the salvager and owner of the Titanic artifacts. There were over fifty people on the great ship, in all classes, either from Wisconsin or journeying to the state as immigrants. This exhibition tells the story of twenty of those passengers and is being developed specifically for the Oshkosh Public Museum.
Titanic: The Wisconsin Connection is a new form of exhibition for the E/M Group. Before the Oshkosh exhibition, the firm focused on the broader story of the ship and passengers, the scientific aspects of the vessel, and its discovery. The Oshkosh Public Museum’s exhibition marks a distinct departure from that practice. Instead of the previously used standard storyline, E/M Group collaborated with Museum staff to create a customized exhibition focused on stories associated with Wisconsin.
In addition to telling the story of passengers associated with Wisconsin, the exhibition showcases over 100 recently conserved artifacts, all recovered from the debris field over 12,000 feet below the North Atlantic. These amazing artifacts, each with a story to tell, will, in most cases, be revealed for the first time in Oshkosh. Each artifact powerfully illustrates an element or person in the dramatic event that took place that terrifying night. As developed by some of the finest exhibition professionals in the business, the storyline enables 21st-century visitors to connect with and empathize with the people of 1912.
Find your favorite RMS Titanic merchandise in the Titanic Store, including t-shirts, dishware, hats, blankets, and more. Buying tickets in advance is highly recommended for this exhibition. Visit oshkoshmuseum.org to purchase tickets. Amcor is the presenting sponsor of Titanic: The Wisconsin Connection.
Located at 1331 Algoma Boulevard, the Museum’s regular hours are Tuesday–Saturday from 10 am–4:30 pm and Sunday from 1 pm–4:30 pm. For more information about the Museum’s exciting events and exhibits, visit oshkoshmuseum.org, call 920.236.5799, or email museum@ci.oshkosh.wi.us.
As a non-profit regional history museum, the Oshkosh Public Museum is entrusted with the care of more than 300,000 collections and historical documents representing the region’s history, culture, and heritage. A fantastic resource for research and discovery, the Museum is nationally accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. Housed in the historic Sawyer home since 1924, the Museum brings history to life through quality exhibitions and special programs, engaging guests in ways that inspire discovery.
