Titanic exhibit coming back to Minnesota

In a bigger, better encore to one of St. Paul's most successful events, the Science Museum of Minnesota promises to bring a mesmerizing historical drama to life.

By A LLIE SHAH

Last update: November 18, 2008 - 8:17 PM

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Who needs Jack and Rose when you have perfume salesman Adolph Salfeld? Unlike the movie characters, Salfeld was a first-class passenger aboard the ill-fated Titanic, and although he didn't survive, his 62 vials of perfume samples did. They're among the new-found artifacts that will be part of the Science Museum of Minnesota's upcoming Titanic exhibit.

Museum officials announced Tuesday that "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition" will open June 12 and run through Jan. 3, 2010.

Titanic fans may recall the exhibit was at the Union Depot in St. Paul about a decade ago.

Museum officials are touting the new exhibit as an "expanded and enhanced" collection, with more than 250 artifacts.

"We did not want to simply bring back the previous exhibit," said Mike Day, senior vice president of the Science Museum of Minnesota. "We were only going to do it if we could make it bigger and better."

Many of the artifacts added to the exhibit were still on the ocean floor in 1999. An expedition in 2000 recovered dozens of items -- including the perfume vials.

They were found in a leather case that helped preserve them after all these years, Day said, adding, "I have smelled them myself. You can still smell the perfume."

Passenger diaries, ship logs and other personal papers also will be on display.

As part of the museum exhibit, the Omnitheater will be showing "Titanica," a documentary of the 2000 expedition.

Recognizing the strong human drama of the Titanic disaster, museum officials say they plan to offer a more emotional exhibit.

Visitors will carry boarding passes. There will be elaborate room re-creations of both first- and third-class accommodations.

In addition to the new pieces, there will be returning favorites such as the ice wall. "You can lay your hands against this giant piece of ice and get a sense of how cold it was," Day said.

The Science Museum of Minnesota, which opened in December 1999, has been on a roll in recent years, landing blockbuster exhibits such as Body Worlds, Pompeii and Star Wars.

Measuring 14,000 square feet, the Titanic exhibit ties Body Worlds as the largest exhibit the museum has ever hosted.

Day said he expects the Titanic archaeological exhibition to rank among the most popular exhibits.

Allie Shah • 651-298-1550

WANT TO GO?

TICKETS: $23 for adults, $18 for kids and seniors. They will go on sale in the spring. School and group tickets are on sale now.

MORE INFORMATION: Call 651-221-9444 or visit www.smm.org.

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