On October 2, 2023, my father and I embarked on a journey to Ireland, specifically Belfast, to immerse ourselves in history at the Titanic Museum. This museum, located at the shipyard where the Titanic was built, holds a profound historical significance that we were eager to explore.

SS Nomadic

The day began with us boarding the Nomadic, which was used as a tender boat from Cherbourg to the Titanic. The Titanic was too large to dock at the Cherbourg pier.
The Nomadic, the last surviving ship from the White Star Line, is a testament to resilience. It weathered World Wars and more before returning to its home port, a living symbol of endurance and strength.

Tender to Titanic

Nomadic was built by Harland & Wolff alongside the Titanic and the Olympic and was launched on April 25, 1911. Nomadic arrived in Cherbourg on June 3, 1911
On April 10, 1912, it transported 172 first—and second-class passengers from the pier to the Titanic.

On the Way into the Museum

My wish came true after I had dreamed about it my whole life. We were on our way into the museum at the dock where the Titanic was built. The dream finally came true after more than 16 years of waiting. If you have patience and can wait, most things will eventually come true.

Construction of Titanic

Construction began on the Titanic on March 31, 1909. More than 3,000 workers participated in the building. Over 3 million rivets were hammered in by hand, and 3,000 steel plates were placed using cranes.
Each steel plate weighed 4.5 tons, was 1.8 meters high, and was 9.1 meters long. In 1912, the Titanic, the largest ocean liner in the world, was 269 meters long, 28 meters wide, and weighed 46,328 tons.

Wallace Hartley’s Violin

The world-famous violin belonged to the bandleader Wallace Hartley and was a gift from his fiancée, Maria Robinson. The violin, made in Germany around 1880, has a tailpiece with a silver Chester hallmark from 1910 engraved with the words: “For Wallace on the occasion of our engagement from Maria.”

As one of the rarest and most iconic artifacts of the 20th century, this violin bears witness to the courage and spirit of the band members who brought hope and comfort until the very end. Their actions inspired the popular expression, “And the band played on,” which describes bravery in adversity.

Titanic Deck chair

This original deck chair from the Titanic, recovered from the surface by the Mackay-Bennett, is a rare and precious artifact. With the White Star Line district insignia on the headrest and a brass name tag holder on the back, this deck chair is one of only six known to have survived, carrying the weight of history on its sturdy frame.

Titanic Life Jacket

An original Fosbery life jacket was recovered from an unknown Titanic victim. Only twelve of the more than 3,500 life jackets onboard remain in the world.
Mackay-Bennett recovered this scarce linen and cork life jacket from the wreck site. No information is available about the original wearer.