Great Lakes Science Center unveils new Titanic retail experience

Collaboration and coordination were at the helm of docking a dedicated Titanic shop at Great Lakes Science Center.

When TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition opened at Great Lakes Science Center in May, guests stepped into one of history’s most recognizable stories through authentic recovered artifacts, immersive technology and life-size recreations of spaces aboard the Ship of Dreams.

Behind the scenes, however, another major operation was taking shape alongside the blockbuster exhibition: the creation of a dedicated Titanic retail store designed to extend the visitor experience beyond the galleries.

“There are a lot of moving pieces,” says Amanda DeSena, store director at Great Lakes Science Center. “There are exhibits, construction, retail, curators, security — all of the things.”

The exhibition, running through Jan. 18, 2027, marks the third time in the Science Center’s 30-year history that it has hosted a Titanic exhibition. This iteration includes more than 200 authentic artifacts recovered from the wreck site, immersive galleries, a new virtual reality experience and a retail environment built directly into the exhibit exit.

Collector medallions are among the available souvenirs at Great Lakes Science Center's retail space dedicated to TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition.

“When we bring in exhibits, we look at all of the revenue streams through retail, audio tours and other experiences,” says Amanda Taunt, vice president of operations at Great Lakes Science Center. “Retail is a significant portion.”

Souvenir quarters

The Titanic exhibition occupies roughly 13,000 square feet inside the Science Center’s traveling exhibition space. Within that footprint, construction crews transformed part of the gallery into an enclosed 841-square-foot store created specifically for exhibition traffic.

“They are making one traveling exhibit hall into multiple rooms,” DeSena says.

The temporary buildout required walls, fixtures, cabinetry and flexible display systems, while the Science Center simultaneously continued operating its permanent Science Store upstairs.

Operationally, the project required close collaboration between Great Lakes Science Center, experiential exhibition company EM Group and retail partner Event Network, which operates The Science Store.

“They work with our buyers to look at what is available and tailor those items for retail that we know will do well based on what we see typically in the museum and what we’ve seen in other locations,” Taunt says.

The merchandise mix was designed to mirror the emotional and educational arc of the exhibition itself. Guests move through galleries exploring Titanic’s construction, passenger life, the boiler room and memorial spaces before exiting directly into retail.

“It’s a forced exit through the shop,” DeSena says. “There’s definitely science behind the forced exit and you can typically convert that into a sale.”

The curated assortment includes souvenirs, plush, books, apparel and exhibit-exclusive collectibles tied directly to the exhibition experience. Taunt says some standout pieces include recreated dishware inspired by items used in Titanic’s first- and third-class dining rooms.

“You can only get these gifts when you are in this specific exhibit,” she says.

A coordinated crew

Preparing the shop required intensive coordination leading up to opening day. DeSena estimated roughly 4,000 merchandise pieces had to be received, entered into inventory systems and labeled before launch.

“This is literally just-in-time,” she says.

Even before opening, anticipation surrounding the exhibit was fueling excitement around retail demand.

“I’ve always known people were into Titanic,” DeSena says. “But the amount of stuff they are buying in the store is just mind blowing.”