Attraction in Pigeon Forge Titanic Museum to showcase historic violin
Want to make your Smoky Mountain vacation truly memorable? Experience a piece of history this summer at the Titanic Museum attraction in Pigeon Forge.
For the first time ever, the iconic violin played by RMS Titanic bandleader Wallace Hartley will be on display in the United States.
Visitors to the Smokies may recall Wallace’s character in the 1997 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as the leader of the eight member band as it played to calm the passengers as the ship sank around them.
Authenticated by Titanic experts, forensic scientists, noted violin dealers, collectors and historians, the violin has been described as “the Holy Grail” of rare historical memorabilia by staff members with Henry Aldridge and Son Auction House in England.
Staff at the Titanic Museum will unveil the violin to the public May 22 at 10 a.m during a media conference. From there, the violin will be on display until July 27 where it will then be transported to the museum’s sister location in Branson, Mo.
To commemorate this once in a lifetime event, staff at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge will be offering daily VIP tours to groups up to 25 people.
VIP tours begin at 8:30 a.m., and include a guided tour with a Titanic crew member and a limited commemorative poster of the event. Also for the first time at this attraction in Pigeon Forge, exclusive to the VIP tours, guests will be allowed to bring personal cameras to capture the memory of seeing this historical instrument.
Reservations are required for all tours. Tickets for the VIP tour are $60 per adult and $30 per child. Family passes are available for $125. Regular tours will begin at 9 a.m. daily.
According to the owner of the Titanic attractions in Pigeon Forge and Branson, John Joslyn, a portion of all ticket sales will go to benefit Strings Crossing, an intensive summer camp through Belmont University’s Comprehensive School of Music for students grades eight through 12 who play the violin, viola, cello and bass.
The violin will be available for public viewing in Branson Aug. 1- Aug. 16 before it is shipped back to England and auctioned off by Henry Aldridge and Son auction house on Oct. 19.
Looking for a place to stay after visiting this attraction in Pigeon Forge? Check out Visit My Smokies’ page on restaurants in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
