New Artifacts Added To SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure Exhibit at the Detroit Science...

New Artifacts Added To SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure Exhibit at the Detroit
Science Center
Never-Before-Seen Artifacts Represent 1865 SS Republic(R) Stateroom Collection

DETROIT, June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Experience life in an 1865 steamship
stateroom with a new collection of artifacts just added to Odyssey's
SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure exhibition at the Detroit Science Center. The
artifacts, from "The SS Republic Stateroom Collection," have never been
displayed before for the general public.
The SS Republic Stateroom Collection encompasses a diverse selection of
unique artifacts representative of the many personal items and everyday
comforts that could be found in one of the steamship's first-class staterooms.
Among the items are an ironstone tooth brush, dominoes, a chamber pot and
vulcanite comb. These rare finds evoke memories of an era long vanished; of a
momentous time in American history just after the Civil War when the
battlefields had fallen silent.
The SS Republic was a Civil War-era steamship en route from New York to
New Orleans in October 1865 stocked with a cargo of goods bound to refuel the
southern post-war economy. Just days into its journey the ship sank in a
fierce hurricane off the Georgia coast, 1,700 feet deep. The wreck of the
Republic was discovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration nearly 138 years later.
More than 50,000 gold and silver coins, and 14,000 artifacts, were recovered
from the Republic wreck site by Odyssey in 2003.*
SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure explores the compelling stories behind some
of the world's most famous shipwrecks, and their treasures and historical
artifacts. Find out what it takes to be a deep-ocean explorer as you are
immersed in the research, search, recovery and conservation process of deep-
ocean treasure and artifacts. See priceless historical artifacts from the
Republic, pilot a real robot submersible, immerse yourself in pirate lore,
battle the forces of nature in a 75-mph hurricane tube and much more.
SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure is at the Detroit Science Center through
Sept. 1, 2008. Tickets are $15.95 for adults and $13.95 for seniors and
children. General museum admission is included. Advance tickets may be
purchased online at www.detroitsciencecenter.org . Discounted group rates are
available. For group reservations, please call 313.577.8400, Option 5.
Odyssey Marine Exploration (Nasdaq: OMEX) is the world leader in the field
of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration. In May 2007 the Company announced the
largest historic deep-ocean treasure recovery of 500,000 gold and silver
coins, weighing 17 tons, from a Colonial-era site code named "Black Swan." For
more on Odyssey, please visit www.shipwreck.net .
The Detroit Science Center is a hands-on museum that inspires its visitors
to pursue and support careers in engineering, technology and science. The
Science Center features Michigan's only IMAX(R) Dome Theatre; the Dassault
Systemes Planetarium; the DTE Energy Sparks Theater; the Chrysler Science
Stage; an 8,700 square-foot Science Hall for traveling exhibits; hands-on
exhibit galleries focusing on space, life and physical science; the United
States Steel Fun Factory; an exhibit gallery for pint-size scientists; and a
Special Events Lobby. The Science Center has served more than 2.1 million
visitors since its grand re-opening on July 28, 2001. For more information,
please call 313.577.8400 or visit the website,
http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org .
* SS Republic is a registered trademark of Odyssey Marine Exploration,
Inc.
SOURCE Detroit Science Center

Kelly Fulford, Director of PR & Marketing, +1-313-577-8400 x430,
+1-248-496-1170 (cell), kfulford@sciencedetroit.org