Titanic Belfast Reopens With Four New Galleries and Light Show

Claudia Savage (PA)

Titanic Belfast will reopen its doors to visitors on Saturday following a multi-million pound refurbishment.

The visitor attraction has added four new galleries to the Titanic experience including new artefacts and a 7.6m scale model of the ship that is suspended from the ceiling and fully rotates.

The model ship is part of an experience that sees music synced with light projections to tell the story of passengers on the ship befitting of the new experience’s title, The Pursuit Of Dreams.

Deirdre McIntyre’s great-grandfather Rodrick Chism was the chief draftsman at shipbuilders Harland and Wolff.

She said: “I was reluctant to be involved because I was concerned that it would be made a commodity and it wouldn’t be about the people, it would be about selling fobs and pens.

“This is about telling the stories, never mind Titanic reimagined, it’s like Titanic resurrected. She’s come alive again and there’s a story to be told. It’s the story of the people of Belfast.”

The new experience aims to combine the attraction of existing exhibits on the Harland and Wolff shipyard, with the emotive experience of the ship’s story.

Judith Owens, chief executive of Titanic Belfast said: “We have reopened with four new themed spaces showcasing never heard before stories of the hopes and dreams of passengers, a collection of artefacts being displayed and an original music score which beautifully encapsulates the stories and emotions throughout.”

The illuminated model of the RMS Titanic is 1:35 scale and fitted with 300 metres of LED lights.

The ship is coupled with a light show and a score played by Belfast musician Maebh Martin.

The new artefacts on display from tomorrow, include a lifejacket which is one of only twelve in the world, the keys to the binocular box the absence of which may have contributed to the Titanic’s demise, and an original deckchair bearing the distinctive White Star Line logo.

Since opening in 2012 Titanic Belfast has welcomed more than seven million visitors from 145 countries, contributing to £430 million to the Northern Ireland economy.