Review: The Legend Of The Titanic - The Ultimate Titanic Exhibition (DockX)

Review by Daz Gale

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Having enjoyed well-received runs internationally, The Legend Of The Titanic has set sail for London, docking at the appropriately named DockX. Billed as an exhibition, there is much more to this experience than meets the eye. I went along to the grand opening to see for myself if this really would be the ship of dreams or if it would prove to be a disaster.

Taking you on board the famous ship that tragically sunk on its maiden voyage in 1912, The Legend Of The Titanic packs the history into 3000 square feet in Canada Water (a place that is proving itself to be a great destination for experiences in London, with Phantom Peak and Minecraft surrounding it), full of artefacts and recreations from both the ship and even the little-known movie from 1997 as you walk through, embarking on your own journey.

The exhibition is split into different sections, with the first part being your standard exhibition as you walk through various rooms, exploring the details and examining the artefacts. However, it is the use of technology that sets this apart from other exhibitions, with some great effects around you (the constant use of a video lift was particularly inspiring) and various opportunities to explore the artefacts with the addition of AR (augmented reality) storytelling, adding a great touch to the experience, and giving you a taste of what’s to come.

There are three completely jaw-dropping rooms along the way, which all use the most impressive technology to transport you back 113 years to that fateful day on board the Titanic in wildly differing ways. The first room sees you seated and given a virtual reality headset as the room comes to life with music and visuals in a breathtakingly beautiful way. The second room plays a lengthy video (estimated at 30 minutes, though did seem like slightly less to me) on a loop as you take your seat and watch the entire room transformed through 360 degrees of video. In this room, you watch the creation of Titanic through being built, its voyage, and the events that led to it sinking. Stunning in every sense.

The third room that utilises this technology was so awe-inspiring, I asked to do it twice. The metaverse area puts another VR headset on you - only this time, instead of sitting still, you walk through the ship, exploring, opening doors (though there is only room for one person at a time, much to the satisfaction of Kate Winslet), meeting characters and studying the details of the ship. The most impressive part is the relatively small size of the room where passengers are exploring, and how that manages to become such a huge ship in itself. One of the greatest experiences I’ve been to in terms of technology and execution, these three rooms wowed me and ensured this was a night to remember.

Of course, there is the obligatory photo-op concluding this where my friend and I recreated the famous pose from the movie (though thankfully she didn’t try to drown me following this), and then you exit into the interactive “kids” area featuring tabletop games and colouring in with a difference. I say “kids” as grown-ups should be allowed to have fun there too, and we were encouraged. Cue this middle-aged man carefully colouring in a picture of a boat with crayons, only to watch it come to life on an interactive screen in a further example of technology that impressed this big kid at heart. A themed cafe and the necessary gift shop ensure there is plenty to do on site once you have come to the end of the experience.

The whole design of this exhibition has been carefully considered and truly floored me at times. Never making light of the events of this tragedy and keeping it sensitive, it was a beautiful way to transport people back in time through the use of state-of-the-art technology in a fantastic hybrid of past and present. Personally, I have never found walking through exhibitions the most enthralling of experiences, but if you share my sentiments in that respect, The Legend Of The Titanic is sure to surprise and delight. With so much on offer, there isn’t a chance for even the biggest sceptic to be bored - if you don’t find your jaw falling open at least once during this experience, you may want to check that your heart hasn’t been replaced by an iceberg.

One of the greatest experiences I’ve ever attended and a perfect example of how powerful and memorable exhibitions like this can be when they get it right, The Legend Of The Titanic is a must-see for anyone who loves to be transported to other worlds or is a fan of either history or technology. If you are looking for Celine Dion to interrupt the walkthrough with her own take on the story, Titanique in the West End might be more for you, but if you are looking for what I’d consider to be the best immersive experience in London at the moment, I’d recommend you set sail for Canada Water and step on board the experience of dreams.

Get tickets for The Legend Of The Titanic: The Ultimate Titanic Exhibition at https://legend-of-titanic.com/london/