Dr. Robert Ballard first discovered Titanic back in 1985. The ship originally sank on April 14,1912. 1,500 souls were lost.

Return to the Titanic

This fascinating exhibit, which marks Dr. Robert Ballard's historic return to the legendary wreck he discovered in 1985, tells the story of the discovery of Titanic as it's never been told before!

• See a 25-foot replica of the ship's bow
• View a reproduction of the Marconi Radio Room
• Examine a 14-foot replica of one of the ship's boilers
• Learn about the impact that human visitation has on historic wrecks
• Experience how deep in the ocean Titanic lies in a dramatic display using the Empire State Building as a comparison
• See past and current expedition film footage

This fascinating exhibit accompanies Dr. Ballard's first return to Titanic since 1986. See footage from the mission to the Titanic wreck site in our Titanic Theater. It's a rare chance to get an up-close view of the fascinating world of marine archeology in action, and also to see what all those years under the Atlantic have done to this magnificent ship.

History of the Titanic
Considered the most famous ship in history, the Royal Mail Service (RMS) Titanic and its sister ship the Olympic were commissioned in 1907 to be the largest and most luxurious ocean liners in history. Built by Harland & Wolff shipbuilders for the White Star Line, the construction of the Titanic began in March 1909 and was completed just over two years later. The size of the ship fit its name. It was over 880 feet long and 175 feet tall. Its 29 boilers ran three massive propellers, which allowed the 46,000 ton ship to move at speeds over 21 knots per hour. Although the term 'unsinkable' was never used, it was considered virtually unsinkable by most people.

On April 10, 1912, the Titanic began its maiden journey from Southampton, England to New York City, a journey that would have taken approximately five days. Aboard were over 2,200 people, of which approximately 1,300 were passengers and 900 were crew. There were three classes of passenger; first class, second, and steerage (third). Befitting White Star's goal of having the Titanic be the most luxurious liner on the oceans, even the second and third class passengers had better rooms and amenities than any other ship then sailing.

Four days into the voyage, on Sunday, April 14, the Titanic hit a massive iceberg that ruptured its hull below the waterline. In less than three hours, the ship had sunk. Some 1,500 people lost their lives.