SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – If you’ve driven through Pigeon Forge lately, you can’t help but notice the large ship taking shape.

It isn’t just any vessel that is on the verge of setting sail in the Smokies, it happens to be the flagship of the “White Star Line.”

The Titanic Museum is set to open this spring. Its vision is extraordinary and the appeal is ageless.

“There is an international level of mystique,” said John Joslyn, owner of the Titanic Museum, “I don’t care if you are 5 or 95, everybody wants to know more about Titanic.”

The $25 million creation sits near the Wonderworks on the parkway in Pigeon Forge. In early December 2009 it was pretty much just steel, concrete and sheetrock. By spring 2010, it will be a half scale replica of the world’s most famous cruise ship, complete with the bridge and grand stair case. However its owner says it will do more than just house Titanic artifacts.

“It's vision, it's hearing, it's sight, sound, feel and touch,” said Joslyn. “It’s extremely interactive.”

The exhibit will even include a recreation of the chilly night in 1912 that the Titanic sank.

From the ships bridge, guests will see the same starry, moonless night and feel the same chill in the air and water. Not only will actors play the role of crew members, including Captain Edward Smith, but visitors will get involved by seeing the name of an actual passenger on their boarding pass. They will also follow the story of that person, eventually learning their fate.

"But I think the best compliment of what captures people is they don't realize that all of a sudden, we're going to bring them into it,” he said. “You're going to have a vested interest in that person before you get to the end of the show.”

The developers say if 750,000 the exhibit in their first year, they will consider that a huge success, but why would you invest so much into such a large project with an uncertain economy where family vacations are often the first to be cut?

"I think this is an excellent time and I am an eternal optimist,” said Joslyn. “I think this is the time exactly. You got to get moving, you've got to put more employment on the ground. You have got to make investments into infrastructure and you have to make an interest into commerce.”

Joslyn said construction is pretty much on schedule and the grand opening is set for April 2010.