My Cuppa Irish Tea: Belfast - The Titanic Experience

On April 2, 1912 the completed Titanic left Belfast to pick up passengers from England, France, and Ireland before heading across the Atlantic. We then become acquainted with individual passengers from different classes. We learned about what life on board the Titanic was actually like.

One floor down we find out about the iceberg and we read some of the messages sent from the Titanic asking for help. We learn the outcome of some of the passengers and just as the Titanic sank that night we too also descent down the floors learning more and more about the sinking, rescue attempts and the inquires.

The top of the museum

Lifeboat

The Titanic was Irish-built and American-owned and after it sank it was investigated on both sides of the Atlantic. When I was young I was infatuated with the Titanic and I had to read every book there was about it. I never realized there was a full inquiry on how and why the disaster happened and who was to blame. One of the items on display was the Titanic's 30 foot long plan used during the inquiry. This was called the Holy Grail of Titanic artifacts. This was used in court to assist witnesses and members of the court. The marks in red and blue are the original indications from the investigations as to where they thought the gashes were from the iceberg. They used this document in the court trial.

30 foot long plan of the Titanic

Just when you think you can go no further into the building you literally come to the bottom of the ocean. In a darkened room we stood on a glass floor and beneath us is a film of the Titanic lying in the bottom of the ocean. You can make out all the different hatches and parts of the ships. I know I've seen this video before but in this settings its all very eerie.

The entire museum had loads of interactive exhibits for children

The Titanic slipway on the left (the one on the right was for the Olympic)

Props from the Titanic movie donated to the museum

The whole exhibition is very touching and was definitely worth the admission price. I would love to come back and do more of the outside Titanic tours.