The Most Iconic Hotel On The Las Vegas Strip Is Home To The Largest Piece Of The Titanic Ever Recovered

Las Vegas, the world-renowned tourist city out West dubbed the "most fun city in America," is home to some epic hotels. One that stands out, even when just passing through, is the distinctive black pyramid of the Luxor Hotel & Casino, modeled after the Pyramids of Giza. Whether lit up at night or sparkling under a scorching desert sun, the Luxor has been a symbol of Vegas since its completion in 1993. Of course, it's not just the outside of the hotel that makes it iconic but also the inside. First of all, there are the soaring, slanted walls (just like you might find inside a pyramid), replicas of Egyptian relics and other pyramids, the bar that's a whimsical playground for adults, and, of course, the casino. 

But one thing that makes the Luxor unique, even in Las Vegas with its multiple illustrious properties, is its permanent exhibit devoted to the RMS Titanic, the doomed luxury liner that catastrophically sank in 1912 on its maiden voyage. Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, located in the atrium of the Luxor, features 350 artifacts directly salvaged from the Atlantic floor, along with passenger stories, recreated rooms of the ship, information about icebergs, and a memorial to the lost passengers. One of the most important Titanic artifacts on display in the Luxor exhibit comes from the ship itself, and that's "The Big Piece," the largest section of the ship ever recovered.

After the Titanic sank, taking with it around 1,500 people, the lore of this so-called "unsinkable" ship was undeniable, as evidenced in the hundreds of articles, books, films, and other media productions about the tragedy. After the ship was rediscovered in 1985 by an American-French expedition, followed by the epic, Oscar-winning movie in 1997, both scientific and public interest in the ship ramped up again. Multiple expeditions since have mapped out the remains of this once-grand liner and salvaged everything from dishes, luggage, personal items, an upopened bottle of champagne, and chunks of the ship itself. 

In the 1990s, scientists were astonished to find The Big Piece, a section of the starboard hull, intact on the bottom of the ocean floor, over two miles underwater. The Big Piece, weighing 15 tons and measuring 25 feet long by 25 feet deep, was nearly brought up to the surface in 1996. However, it wasn't successfully retrieved until 1998. After restoration work, it was transferred to the Luxor, where it has remained ever since. Seeing The Big Piece makes the full scope of this huge liner come to life, as this massive chunk is but a small piece of the whole.

See The Big Piece and other relics and experience life as a Titanic passenger year-round at the Luxor exhibit, which costs $39 for adults. Book ahead, as reservations do sell out. Need more Titanic in your life? Visit the world's largest Titanic museum, a giant, immersive attraction in Missouri.