It was late on the evening of April 14, 1912 when the Titanic hit an iceberg. Two hours forty minutes later in the early hours of April 15, the unsinkable ship sank in the north Atlantic ocean. Only 705 of the 2,227 passengers and crew survived.

In the Tropicana Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas you can see many of the artifacts that were on the ill-fated ship on her maiden voyage from England to New York. Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is a memorable exhibition of all things Titanic. Las Vegas may be a long way from the spot where the ship sank, but it’s the place to go if you want to see real artifacts from the actual ship.

This has nothing to do with the movie, though inevitably you will be reminded of it when you view the exhibition. You will see floor tiles from the first-class smoking room, a 1900 vintage unopened bottle of champagne that was on board when she sank, one of the window frames from the Verandah Cafe, and much more.

The Grand Staircase that featured so much in the movie has been recreated. So has the outer Promenade Deck, right down to the cold temperatures of the final night. The Tropicana Hotel-Casino has certainly provided one of the very best Las Vegas attractions - be sure to see it.

One final thought… A first-class ticket on the Titanic in 1912 would have set you back $4,350. That amount in 1912 is now more like $90,000 today! What a journey it would have been had everything gone smoothly.