Relive the Sinking—and Discovery—of the Titanic
February 21, 2012 at 4:26 pm
by Celia Shatzman
Personally, I think being an explorer would be one of the best jobs ever, along with being a rock star or an astronaut. And Dr. Robert Ballard happens to be the rock star of explorers. He discovered the resting place of the Titanic in 1985, making him the first person to lay eyes on the ship in 73 years. Now he’s teamed up with Tim Delaney, the former Walt Disney Imagineering designer, to create the “Titanic-12,450 Feet Below” exhibit at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut.
Opening on April 12, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the majestic ship, the 8,000 square foot exhibit is equally enthralling for adults and kids of all ages. Designed to tell the story of the discovery through Ballard’s eyes, it’s brought to life through soundscapes, hands-on activities, recreations and even a glowing iceberg that’s cold to the touch. Visitors follow the journey of the Titanic, first seeing how it was constructed with the era’s state-of-the-art technology, then hear Morse code from distant ships warning of ice in the water in the iceberg room. The night of the sinking is recreated through images, graphics showing how the ship fell to the ocean floor, and a flurry of newspaper headlines. Then, at 12,450 feet below, visitors learn about deep-sea technology, and see video captured by Ballard and his team. There’s also recreated artifacts and never-before seen photos, documents and letters that were personally selected by Ballard. Don’t miss the special gallery about the passengers, and a bi-level adventure area modeled after the Titanic’s engine room where kids can chart their own exploration course.
Get the details at mysticaquarium.org.
Celia Shatzman is associate editor at Family Circle magazine.
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