New York—The warm weather and sunny skies have all of us enjoying the beautiful weather outside. Summer has always been my favorite time of year. As a kid, I never was affected by the humidity as I am now. This past week was especially humid and I knew that I had to compile a list of places to escape it. I found a great place to escape the heat but still enjoy the wonders of the sea: at the Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. and Discovery Times Square. Stay cool and dive in without getting wet and explore SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure, an interactive, multi-media exhibit containing more than 500 artifacts from deep-ocean expeditions around the world.

You might be wondering about how this could be possible. Well, with the help of Odyssey’s unparalleled deep-sea archaeological and technological capabilities, SHIPWRECK! brings a unique look into the depths of the ocean through a mix of actual historical artifacts and hands-on, interactive computer games and exhibits. This is a great outing for people of all ages; the exhibit helps to bring history to life by uncovering priceless knowledge from the depths of the sea. Artifacts found at the exhibit, such as rare bottles, porcelain figurines, and a 300-year-old carpenter’s folding ruler, will transport guests back in time, as they get an up close and personal look at over 2,000 years of nautical history. Treasure seekers will find a stunning collection of gold and silver recovered from the deep, including the first ever display of silver recovered from the SS Gairsoppa , recovered from the ocean floor over three miles deep.

This exhibit is 20 years in the making, and Greg Stemm, Odyssey Chief Executive Officer, worked with the team that discovered hundreds of shipwrecks in the deep ocean. The shipwrecks cover a very large portion of history, ranging from 2,000-year-old Roman wrecks to WWII U-boats, and last year set a world record by recovering over 40 tons of silver from a shipwreck nearly three miles deep. This exhibit is an absolute treasure for the general public, and Discovery Times Square is a premiere venue. SHIPWRECK! provides the ultimate artifact viewing experience, where visitors can get real close with those discovered by the team. Additionally, the tools and technology necessary to explore the deep ocean will be on display as well.

One of the exhibit’s most coveted highlights is the wreck of the SS Republic, a Civil War-era side-wheel steamship that sank to the bottom of the ocean in 1865 due to a ferocious storm. The Republic, yielding over 51,000 silver and gold coins and 14,000 artifacts, was discovered by Odyssey 1,700 feet below the surface of the Atlantic in 2003 and now provides visitors with a detailed look at life in America in the late 19^th century.

SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure also offers guests the chance to put their skills to the test by piloting a virtual submersible over the Republic wreck site and scouring for artifacts with an operable model of Odyssey’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ZEUS’ robotic arm. The exhibit’s Hurricane Simulator also pushes guests’ strength to the limit as they face up against 75-mph winds.

SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure will be on display at Discovery Times Square, located at 226 West 44^th St., New York, NY 10036. For more information, you can visit discoverytsx.com/exhibitions/shipwreck.

You can also visit my website, primetimeparenting.com, for a special giveaway.

By Esti Berkowitz of www.primetimeparenting.com