Tag Archives: Titanic exhibitions

Titanic

Titanic News: SS United States, Harland & Wolff Bought by Navantia, Upcoming Exhibitions, Rare Telegram and Postcard Up For Auction

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Michael Tanenbaum, “Wind Delays SS United States’ Departure From Philly Until Tuesday,” PhillyVoice, last modified February 17, 2025, https://www.phillyvoice.com/ss-united-states-departure-philly-tuesday-florida-reef/.

High winds in Philadelphia have pushed back the departure of the SS United States until Tuesday, when the historic ocean liner will embark on a two-week trip to Alabama. From there, the ship will undergo preparations to be turned into the world’s largest artificial reef off the Gulf Coast in Florida. In September, after years of efforts to preserve the SS United States, the ocean liner was purchased for $1 million by Okaloosa County in Florida. The county plans to invest more than $10 million to transform the ship into a diving and fishing destination. The ship’s storied history includes carrying four presidents and various celebrities over the years and holding the transatlantic speed record it set on its maiden voyage in 1952. The ship remained in service until 1969. In addition to creating the artificial reef, Okaloosa County also will partner with the conservancy to create a land-based museum that celebrates and commemorates the ship.

SS United States
Date Unknown but likely 1950’s.
Photo is from John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
The SS United States in port in Philadelphia, PA.
2 August 2020
Taken by Chuck Homler d/b/a FocusOnWildlife using a drone
Wikimedia Commons

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Titan (submersible)
Becky Kagan Schott, OceanGate

Allie Griffin, “NOAA Releases Chilling Audio of Moment Doomed Titan Submersible Imploded,” New York Post, February 12, 2025, https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/titanic-submersible-titan-audio-recording-released-by-noaa/.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a bone-chilling audio recording of the moment the Titan submersible imploded, instantly killing all five passengers. The never-before-heard audio clip published online Friday captures staticky white noise followed by a loud boom and reverb — and then the static again. Officials said the boom is the sound of the sub imploding before reaching the Titanic wreck site on the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean on June 18, 2023

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Image:Premier Exhibitions

“TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition Returns to Liberty Science Center After 10 Years,” Press release, last modified February 10, 2025, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/titanic-the-artifact-exhibition-returns-to-liberty-science-center-after-10-years-302372620.html.

TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition to Jersey City, NJ, after 10 years on February 15, 2025. The Exhibition has become a global phenomenon, renowned for its ability to transport visitors on an immersive journey into the remarkable story of the RMS Titanic through authentic artifacts recovered from the wrecksite, compelling storytelling, and interactive experiences.

Information and tickets are at https://lsc.org/explore/exhibitions/titanic.

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Harland & Wolff David and Goliath crane in Belfast, 2006
Plastic Jesus (Dave) via Wikimedia Commons

Emma Taggart, “Navantia Paid £93m for Titanic Shipbuilder Harland & Wolff,” The Times, February 7, 2025, https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/navantia-paid-93m-for-titanic-shipbuilder-harland-and-wolff-stnwbfndf.

The takeover of Harland & Wolff by Navantia cost the Spanish state-owned shipbuilder £93 million after it agreed improved terms with the British government for a contract with the Royal Navy. Navantia had offered £64 million to buy the beleaguered shipbuilder and its four shipyards in October 2024 It completed its purchase of Harland & Wolff’s four shipyards last week, securing more than 1,000 British jobs. The takeover of the troubled shipbuilder came after months of uncertainty and financial problems for Harland & Wolff.

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Image:Premier Exhibitions

“TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition Returns to Bratislava in 2025,” Press release, last modified February 7, 2025, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/titanic-the-artifact-exhibition-returns-to-bratislava-in-2025-302371423.html.

TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition is making its highly anticipated return to Bratislava, Slovakia, following its successful run in 2015. Opening on February 20, 2025, the Exhibition will be hosted at Sport Mall Bratislava Lama?. The Exhibition, presented by Experiential Media Group (E/M Group) and RMS Titanic, Inc. (RMST), brings Titanic’s history, and real human stories to create an unforgettable experience that has captivated millions worldwide.

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Matthew Impelli, “Rare Telegram From Titanic Disaster Gets Put up for Sale,” Newsweek, February 6, 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/titanic-sinking-telegram-sale-auction-2027509.

A rare and historically significant telegram sent in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster is up for sale at Julien’s Auctions as part of its “Spotlight on History & Technology” event. The telegram, sent on April 16, 1912, from Philip Franklin, vice president of the International Mercantile Marine Co. in New York City, to Captain Herbert Haddock of the RMS Olympic, requested an urgent list of Titanic survivors aboard the rescue ship Carpathia.

The auction will take place on 27 Feb 2025 at 12 noon in Los Angeles at Julien’s Auctions.

Telegram sent by Phillip Franklin, IMM, to Captain Haddock of Olympic on 16 April 1912 asking for list of Titanic survivors aboard.
Source: juliensauctions.com

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Jenna Sundel, “OceanGate ‘Titan’ Victim’s Family Gets Mixed Ruling From Judge,” Newsweek, February 4, 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/oceangate-submarine-titan-implosion-victims-nargeolet-lawsuit-2026068.

A lawsuit filed by the family of an OceanGate Titan submersible implosion victim will be sent back to state court, but the judge declined to pay the requested attorney fees. Judge Lauren King of the Western District of Washington granted a motion to remand on Friday filed by Richard Ortoli, the administrator of Paul-Henri Nargeolet’s estate.

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RMS Titanic pictured in Queenstown, Ireland 11 April 1912
Source:Cobh Heritage Centre, Cobh Ireland/Wikimedia Commons

Kendal Cooper, “Titanic Time Capsule: Rare Postcard From Tragic Voyage Set to Sail Into Auction Expected to Create Worldwide Interest – Hansons Auctioneers,” Hansons Auctioneers, last modified February 4, 2025, https://hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/titanic-time-capsule-rare-postcard-from-tragic-voyage-set-to-sail-into-auction-expected-to-create-worldwide-interest/.

A rare and deeply emotional Titanic postcard, sent just one month after the ship’s tragic sinking, is set to attract global interest when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers’ February Derby Antiques & Collectors Auction, taking place between the 13th and 18th of February 2025. Discovered during a recent antiques valuation day in Nottinghamshire, the postcard is thought to possess both remarkable historical significance and sentimental value. The postcard will be featured in Hansons’ upcoming February sale, where it is expected to achieve a price between £100-150. With its deep historical connections and rare status, the postcard is expected to attract considerable interest from collectors and Titanic enthusiasts worldwide.

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Emily Goodwin, “Titanic Dining Experience at Dunston Hall Near Norwich,” Eastern Daily Press, January 27, 2025, https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24887156.titanic-dining-experience-dunston-hall-near-norwich/.

Dunston Hall will be hosting the event, which will give guests the chance to “dress up and become a small part of history” for an evening.  At 7pm on March 15, first-class stewardess Mabel Bennett will call ticketholders through to their tables as they enjoy a meal aboard the “unsinkable” ship. Throughout the evening as a three-course meal is served, ticketholders will watch how the Captain and some of the female workers on board are affected as the tragedy unfolds. Much of the evening is interactive and the night will be accompanied by a projection of the Titanic’s voyage and an original soundtrack.

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Suggested Titanic Reading

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

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

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

Titanic News Channel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Titanic

SUNDAY TITANIC NEWS

Exhibition update-Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition has reopened at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The hours of operation are Thursday-Sunday from 11 am – 6 pm. Last admission is at 5 pm. Prices have been reduced to $26.50 for adults and $18 for children. For further details go to Titanic Las Vegas.

Catalina Island Museum to host virtual premiere of Titanic exhibition and Museum Benefit (The Log, 9 Oct 2020)

Catalina Island Museum announced it will host its annual Museum Benefit event virtually, welcoming participants from around the world with the first opportunity to view the new Titanic: Real Artifacts, Real People, Real Stories exhibition. The virtual evening experience takes place on Oct. 17, from 6 – 7 p.m. The first-ever virtual affair will be streamed live on YouTube and is free to attend with advanced registration at betterunite.com/catalinamuseum.

Estonian Interior Minister Wants to Salvage Bodies From ‘Baltic Titanic’ (Sputnik News, 7 Oct 2020)

In the wake of a recent documentary that found a previously unknown 4-metre hole in the hull of the Estonia, whose sinking in 1994 became the deadliest peacetime maritime catastrophe since the Titanic, Estonian Interior Minister Mart Helme has called for the wreck to be re-examined and the remaining bodies salvaged. It is about a “humanitarian mission”, he says according to Estonian newpaper Postimees. Helme called it a “humanitarian mission” to dispel the speculations about what really happened to the giant ferry that became a watery grave for 852 people.

Titanic, Titanic Exhibitions

Journal Star:New Riverfront Museum Exhibit Explores The Enduring Fascination of the Titanic

Photo:Peoria Riverfront Museum
Photo:Peoria Riverfront Museum

Ann Schmitt, lead curator of the Peoria Riverfront Museum, has a few theories on the enduring fascination with the Titanic. The human interest in those that perished with the sinking ship continues, bolstered by the cinematic depiction in the blockbuster 1997 film of the same name. Schmitt also noted a Romantic idea of the ship has formed in the resulting century, coupled with an ongoing obsession with large-scale disasters. Whatever cocktail of psychology lies behind the fascination, it hasn’t been enough to satiate our appetite for more information about the Titanic. Schmitt would know best. “I’ve seen four different Titanic exhibits, and I’d see another one if it came to Chicago,” Schmitt said.
Source: New Riverfront Museum exhibit explores the enduring fascination of the Titanic (Journal Star,9 Nov 2016)

Exhibit Details
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition will be at the Peoria Riverfront Museum from 12 November 2016-12 March 2017. It is strongly encouraged you purchase tickets online. For details about hours,purchasing tickets,and other information go to www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org.


Premier Exhibitions, Titanic Exhibitions

Buena Park Titanic Exhibition To Close Permanently January 3, Looking For New Home

The Titanic and Bodies exhibitions at the former Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park, California is closing for good on 3 Jan 2016. The location has been sold and will host a butterfly and hummingbird atrium that will open in 2017. Meanwhile the search for a new location continues. The new location not only must have room for the exhibits but also for a gift shop. Premier is hoping to find a location in Southern California as attendance at Buena Park was one of the highest for U.S. locations.

Source: Bodies, Titanic Exhibits Hope To Stay Local (Orange County Register,8 Dec 2015)

Titanic

Titanic Belfast: 2 Million Visitors

Titanic Belfast (side view) Image:Prioryman (Wikipedia)
Titanic Belfast (side view)
Image:Prioryman (Wikipedia)

When Michael Sweeney walked through the door, the 25-year-old found out he was visitor 2 million. He is quoted as saying “I feel like the king of the world!” This milestone is being celebrated as proof of the enduring attraction of Titanic Belfast. Titanic Belfast CEO Tim Husbands said:

It seems like only yesterday that Titanic Belfast opened and helped turn the city into a major player in the global tourism market. We are three months short of our third birthday and already we are celebrating our two-millionth visitor. This is a tremendous achievement.

That snark who recently maligned Belfast by saying the iceberg did them a favor is probably choking on his shepherd’s pie right about now.

Source:Titanic Belfast Reaches 2 Million Visitors(22 Dec 2014,Belfast Telegraph)



History, Titanic, Titanic Exhibitions

Titanic News: Titanic Exhibition Coming To Dubuque, Franklin Expedition Ship Found

1. Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition will be at Dubuque, Iowa, National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium from 23 May-7 Sep 2014. Details are still being finalized as to admission costs. Further information can be found at their website.
Source: Titanic Exhibit Coming To Dubuque’s River Museum(25 Sep 2014,Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Sir John Franklin Photo: public domain
Sir John Franklin
Photo: public domain

2. Finding the Northwest Passage has been the dream of many explorers. At one time, some believed there was a navigable path between east and west just above Canada. In 1845 an expedition led by Captain Sir John Franklin with two ships–H.M.S. Erebus and the H.M.S. Terror–set off to traverse one of the last unnavigated sections. They were last seen in Greenland in late July, 1845 and later in Baffin Bay by whalers. After that they were never seen again. Later expeditions found relics and heard stories from the Inuit. It was learned thirty-five had died of starvation heading south. It was suspected some died of poisoning from eating from tinned cans. Darker talk of cannibalism also were said and much later confirmed by examining remains. Many of the remains confirmed that lead poisoning probably contributed to the death.  Their ships though remained lost until recently when a Canadian search team appears to have found one. It is not known whether it is the Erebus or Terror that has been found. A great deal of mythology and popular storytelling has grown up around this ill-fated expedition. Perhaps this find will lay some of them too rest.
Sources:
1. The Franklin Ship Myth, Verified(24 Sep 2014,The New Yorker)
2. Franklin’s Lost Expedition (Wikipedia)


Titanic

Bible Of Baptist Minister Who Perished On Titanic Now On Display At Pigeon Forge

Photo:Petr Kratochvil(publicdomainpictures.net)
Photo:Petr Kratochvil(publicdomainpictures.net)

Reverend Robert J. Bateman, age 51, had been in Bristol, England visiting relatives when he made his return trip on Titanic in 1912. Accompanying him was his sister-in-law Mrs Ada Balls. They travelled in second class. When disaster struck, he helped Ada into lifeboat 10 and said to her “If I don’t meet you again in this world, I will in the next.” He handed his Bible over to her along with his overcoat and tie. His body was recovered by Mackay-Bennett and interred at Evergreen Cemetery, Jacksonville, Florida.

Ada gave the Bible to her sister Emily, his wife. She gave the Bible upon death to Dr. Harry Upperman from the Baxter Seminary in Baxter, Tennessee. The Upper Room Museum purchased the Bible and now it is on loan to Titanic Pigeon Forge through August 2014.

Sources:
1. Bible That Survived Titanic Sinking Now On Display In Pigeon Forge(1 May 2014,WBIR)
2. Robert James Bateman (Encyclopedia Titanica)
3. Titanic Pigeon Forge

Titanic, Titanic Exhibitions

Premier Exhibitions Seeking To Sell Company Or Assets

For Sale by Owner SignAccording to Atlanta Business Chronicle, Premier Exhibitions (which owns RMS Titanic, Inc and Titanic:The Artifact Exhibition), reported in a regulatory filing that the board of directors approved a review of “strategic alternatives.”

“The board of directors is working to pursue all appropriate actions to enhance the value of the company for its shareholders,” said Mark A. Sellers, chairman of the board of Premier Exhibitions. “To that end, we have determined that a broad evaluation of strategic alternatives led by a top tier investment bank should be the next step in that process and we are very excited to have engaged a prominent, New York based investment bank as our adviser.”

That sounds like they are preparing to sell the company or perhaps parts of it to other interested parties. With the Titanic artifact sale up in limbo at this point (a consortium backed out since it could not raise the money) and likely no deal in the immediate future, it probably means they would prefer someone else have that headache. Do not be surprised if a sale ends up being done either to a gulf state business or to a Chinese company. Both areas been making moves to capitalize on the Titanic tourist trade.

Source: Premier Exhibitions Investigating ‘Strategic Alternatives’(11 Mar 2014,Atlanta Business Chronicle)


Titanic

Premier Exhibitions Stock Downgraded To Sell By TheStreet

graph downAnalysts at TheStreet has downgraded its rating from hold to sell. According to the analysis, the reasons for the downgrade are:

  • The company has significantly underperformed in net income in the same quarter a year ago. Net income decreased by 102.3% compared to same quarter a year ago.
  • Operating cash flow has decreased.
  • Stock performance is bad. It tumbled 33.49% and company’s earnings per share are down.
  • Return on equity has only slightly improved from same quarter last year. While that is good, its return on equity trails that of others in the same industry.
  • Gross profit margin is still high at 51.21% but still shows a decrease from last year at the same period.

The stock(PRXI) closed down today (14 Oct 2013) at $1.36.

Source: Premiere Exbitions Inc Stock Downgraded (13 Oct 2013, TheStreet)