Barrett suggested that while Smith was a capable sailor, he was not used to handling a ship of the Titanic’s vast size. He pressed on at speed despite repeated warnings of ice ahead. Nor did he coordinate the evacuation well, with officers interpreting his orders in different ways. ‘There doesn’t appear to be much management going on during the lifeboat loading,’ Barrett said. ‘The first officer on one side of the ship, William Murdoch, who’s the one that actually hit the iceberg, and the second officer, Charles Lightoller, on the other side, had both been given this order: load the lifeboats with women and children first.

Palmer, Joseph. “Who’s Really to Blame for the Titanic Disaster? New Buried Evidence Podcast Revisits the Infamous Sinking With Bestselling Author Duncan Barrett to Ask Whose Fateful Decisions Cost the Most Lives.” Daily Mail, September 11, 2026. https://www.dailymail.com/crime-desk/article-16120929/titanic-disaster-blame-buried-evidence-podcast-duncan-barrett.html.

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The exhibition, which was supposed to close in January, is now running through April 27 of next year and includes around 200 authentic artifacts from the ship’s wreckage, reconstruction of some of the ship’s rooms and also a virtual reality experience. “The exhibition has resonated with our guests,” Kirsten Ellenbogen, president & CEO of Great Lakes Science Center said in a statement. “The artifacts create a powerful connection to the passengers and crew of RMS Titanic. We are excited to be able to extend its run here in Cleveland.”

Information about admission, days and hours of operation can be found at https://greatscience.com/titanic

“Want to See Titanic Artifacts? Big Exhibit Is Extending Run in Cleveland.” Fox8. Last modified September 9, 2026. Accessed September 15, 2026. https://fox8.com/news/want-to-see-titanic-artifacts-big-exhibit-is-extending-run-in-cleveland/.

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Houston is getting a new way to revisit one of the most talked-about stories in modern history. Titanic: An Immersive Voyage brings the world of RMS Titanic down to human scale, with more than 300 artifacts, recreated interiors, archival records, and immersive media tracing the ship’s journey from construction and departure to the wreck resting more than 2.5 miles beneath the Atlantic. There’s plenty to take in, but the details are what stick with you: messages, photographs, testimony, and the stories of the people who were actually on board.

 The event begins in October 2026. To be put on a waitlist to buy tickets and for other information, click here.

 Scrumptious, Harriet. “‘An Immersive Voyage’: You Can Now Walk Through the Titanic in Houston — a Massive 90-minute Indoor Experience Featuring Over 300 Real Historical Artifacts.” Secret Houston. Last modified September 9, 2026. Accessed September 15, 2026. https://secrethouston.com/titanic-an-immersive-voyage-exhibition-houston/.

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The first phase of Titanic Belfast’s events space investment scheme has been completed as it prepares to host 60 local and international events before the end of the year. The works centred on the Titanic Suite, which features a replica Grand Staircase, with local firm Garuda Design drawing on other elements of the famed vessel for the project. Subsequent phases of investment will focus on other levels of the building

Sabri, Abdullah. “Titanic Belfast Sees Major Refurbishment of Events Space Featuring Replica Grand Staircase.” Belfast Telegraph. Last modified September 9, 2026. Accessed September 15, 2026. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/titanic-belfast-sees-major-refurbishment-of-events-space-featuring-replica-grand-staircase/a/161187956.html.

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Suggested Video

Grave Visitations. “Inside the TITANIC MAUSOLEUM – REMAINS EXPOSED.” Video. YouTube, April 16, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mD91mt5oZY.

Suggested Titanic Reading
[Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.]

Archbold, Rick, and Dana McCauley. Last Dinner on the Titanic Menus and Recipes From the Great Liner. Hachette Books, 1997.

Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997

Behe, G. (2012). On board RMS Titanic: Memories of the Maiden Voyage. The History Press.

Behe, George. Voices From the Carpathia: Rescuing RMS Titanic, 2015.

Behe, George. The Triumvirate: Captain Edward J. Smith, Bruce Ismay, Thomas Andrews and the Sinking of Titanic.History Press, 2024.

Behe, George. Fate Deals a Hand: The Slippery Fortunes of Titanic’s Professional Gamblers. History Press, 2023.

Ballard, Robert D. Exploring the Titanic. Reprint. Madison Press Books, 2014.

Ballard, Robert D., and Rick Archbold. The Discovery of the Titanic. New York, N.Y.?: Warner Books, 1987.

Ballard, Robert D., Lost Liners: From the Titanic to the Andrea Doria the Ocean Floor Reveals Its Greatest Lost Ships(Hyperion, 1998).

Brewster, H. (2013). Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage: The Titanic’s First-Class Passengers and Their World. National Geographic Books.

Cameron, Stephen. Titanic: Belfast’s Own. Colourpoint, 2011.

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Fitch, Tad, J. Kent Layton, and Bill Wormstedt. On a Sea of Glass: The Life & Loss of the RMS Titanic. Reprint. Amberley Publishing, 2015.

Lord, Walter, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc.)

Lord, Walter, THE NIGHT LIVES ON, Willian Morrow and Company, New York, New York, 1986 (First Edition)

Lynch, Don & Marshall Ken, TITANIC AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, Madison Press Books, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1992

Marshall, L. (2019). Sinking of the Titanic: The Greatest Disaster At Sea – Special Edition with Additional Photographs. Independently Published.

Rossignol, K. (2012). Titanic 1912: The Original News Reporting of the Sinking of the Titanic. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.

Wade, Wyn Craig. The Titanic, End of a Dream, 1979.

Wilson, A. (2012). Shadow of the Titanic: The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived. Simon and Schuster.