Tigress

Big Piece

A few months ago, I visited a traveling Titanic exhibition that came through Dallas. It offered a compelling narrative of the disaster, told through artifacts from the White Star Line—including a single cup that had been smuggled off the ship before the tragedy. The storytelling was powerful and immersive.

This week, I had the opportunity to explore the Titanic artifact exhibition at the Luxor in Las Vegas. While similar in theme, this exhibit focused on items recovered directly from the wreck itself. There’s something profoundly moving about seeing objects that were actually aboard the ship during its final moments—each one offering a glimpse into the lives of the passengers and crew. It made the story feel much more real and personal.

The most striking piece for me was the “Big Piece”—a massive section of the ship’s hull that broke off as it split apart. Standing before it, you’re dwarfed by its sheer size. It’s a haunting reminder of the ship’s scale, with hundreds of rivets still visible and portholes through which someone—perhaps a worker or a passenger—once looked out.

The entire experience was somber and deeply reflective. It brought the reality of that fateful night into sharp focus in a way that words alone never could.