Belfast Titanic Shipyards

Officially known as Titanic Belfast, this museum is the world’s largest and most extensive visitor attraction of its kind. Built in the original Titanic shipyards, this attraction offers visitors a unique insight into the building, sinking, and aftermath of the largest, most luxurious ship of its time. This museum comprises a large part of what is known as the Titanic Quarter, one of the world’s largest urban-waterfront regeneration initiatives.

History

On the night of 14 April 1912 the White Star Line’s RMS Titanic collided with an iceberg at a high rate of speed, sinking the ship and tragically ending the lives of over 1,500 men, women, and children. The “unsinkable” ship was the pride of Belfast in the late 19^th century during the time of a rapidly expanding shipbuilding industry and its catastrophic demise shocked the world. The ship’s wreckage was discovered by a team of divers at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in 1985.

Titanic Belfast, occupying 14,000 square metres, is located in the former Harland & Wolff shipyard, a significant spot in the industrial and maritime history of Belfast, Ireland. The museum’s architects broke ground on the facility in 2009 and officially opened it to the public in 2012, just in time for the 100^th anniversary of the ship’s untimely sinking.

What to See

At the heart of the Titanic Belfast experience is a set of nine galleries of interactive exhibition space. Beginning with the thriving shipbuilding industry of Belfast and the designing of the Titanic, visitors explore from room to room the entire lifecycle of the luxury ship. The launching and maiden voyage of the completed ship, the sinking, and even the aftermath are explored in exciting detail. Authentic documents and photographs are exhibited as well as a priceless artefact collection including original lunch menus, letters, and White Star china. Visitors are also treated to the ‘Holy Grail’ of Titanic memorabilia and the most expensive artefact on display—a 10 metre-wide drawing plan of the entire ship communicates the stunning size and complexity of the opulent ocean liner.

In addition to the standard exhibits, Titanic Belfast also offers a shipyard ride through full-scale reconstructions complete with special effects and animations to help visitors understand the excitement that such a vessel created.

Why visit Titanic Belfast?

Being one of the five main tourist projects of Northern Ireland, Titanic Belfast is not just an enormous museum; it’s an experience. Nine unique exhibition galleries, impressive interactive features, and only the most modern technology throughout makes Titanic Belfast one of the premier tourist experiences in Ireland and it’s not one to be soon forgotten. Explore the museum on your own or book a spot on one of their award winning, personally guided walking tours for a more intimate experience. The staff at Titanic Belfast is incredibly knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and eager to share with you one of history’s most intriguing tales.

A visit to Titanic Belfast is both insightful and deeply moving. Through original artefacts, life-sized replicas, and a surplus of interactive experiences, visitors of all ages are treated to an exceptionally detailed and enjoyable step back in time.