Titanic

SINGAPORE — Almost a hundred years after the catastrophic sinking of the Titanic, its legend continues to haunt the world over.

Touted as the greatest ship of her time, a most luxurious liner that was said to be the safest ship ever built, the Titanic became a symbol of human frailty, plunging into the ocean depths a mere four days after its maiden voyage.

The latest technology in shipbuilding, opulent fittings, modern amenities, even a most experienced ship captain all proved weak next to a massive iceberg.

Appealing to our curiosity, fascination, and a gripping sense of mortality that accompanies interest in the ill-fated ship’s history, “The Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” opened to the public at the ArtScience Museum in Marina Bay Sands last Oct. 29. 

The Titanic sailed for her maiden voyage from Southampton, England bound for New York City in April 10, 1912

Attracting more than 25 million people over the last 15 years since it first showed, it has brought over 18,000 visitors in the first 10 days since opening in Singapore.

For those who have seen the exhibition, it does not only educate us about the events that transpired during that fateful night, it also leaves an emotional effect and adds a human dimension to the tragedy.

The journey begins with a White Star Line boarding pass, which is printed with the name and details of an actual passenger. As we entered, we were told that we could check if our passenger survived by checking the name against the memorial wall as we reached the end of the exhibit. Fortunately for us, we already have an inkling of what will happen to the ship. Unfortunately for those who lived during the building of the Titanic, it was easy to be swayed by the majesty and grandeur that its owner, White Star Line, promised.

An account of Titanic’s early history, from its conception and impressive construction at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Ireland did nothing to lessen the sense of foreboding. Eight hundred feet long, with a capacity to carry over 3,000 passengers, the ship was built with a swimming pool, Turkish baths, even a gym, which were a first for ships in those days. No expense was spared in outfitting the ship with chandeliers, the finest furniture, crystals and fine china.

A historical photo of the Titanic’s propellers, which are said to be bigger than the propellers on the biggest modern cruise ships today

Recreations of the ship’s Boiler Room, Grand Staircase, Third Class cabin, First Class corridors and suites, instantly brought back scenes from James Cameron’s movie Titanic, and visions of star-crossed lovers Jack and Rose. However, fact was infinitely more troubling than fiction.

Passenger accounts and the 275 artifacts recovered from the wreckage, which included personal effects ranging from postage stamps, perfume bottles, children’s marbles, jewelry, shoes, sheet music, plates, tea cups and even a tattered white steward’s jacket were silent witnesses to the tragedy, and eerie reminders that real people perished with the Titanic.

A statement by Charlotte Collyer, one of the 705 survivors was the most chilling. “’Women and children first’ someone was shouting these last few words over and over again.  They meant my own safety but they also meant the greatest loss I’d ever suffered, the life of my husband.”  

Sad as it is, Titanic’s First Class passengers, who paid $4,500, or the equivalent of $103,000 today, captured media attention and added glamour and mystique to the tragedy. Some of the bold-faced names who boarded the Titanic included John Jacob Astor IV who was traveling with his pregnant 19-year-old wife Madeleine, Benjamin Guggenheim accompanied by his French mistress, and Macy’s department store co-owner Isidor Straus and his wife Ida, who upon her husband’s refusal to board a lifeboat until there were still women and children onboard, famously said, “I will not be separated from my husband. As we have lived, so we will die: together.”

A recreation of The Grand Staircase, which many will recall from the movie Titanic. This was the favorite meeting place of first class passengers.

For a truly interactive experience, an Ice Wall in the Iceberg Gallery gave us a feel of what it was like to be in freezing environments. Apparently, it was hypothermia more than drowning that caused the demise of many of the ship’s passengers who did not make it to the lifeboats. A recreation of the seabed where the Titanic was discovered beneath the Atlantic Ocean showed a glimpse of the shipwreck in its untouched state, when it was first discovered.

The most troubling portion of the exhibit would be the explanations for why the Titanic sank. For one, there were no binoculars for the lookouts. Apparently, these were misplaced in the rush to get the Titanic ready for service. Second, while the ship had the legal minimum of 20 lifeboats, it would have required 32 lifeboats to fit all the passengers onboard. And why? They wanted to cut costs and minimize clutter on the deck.

To add insult to injury, only two lifeboats were filled to capacity. Many passengers, believing the ship was unsinkable and more stable, chose to remain onboard.

Lastly, despite ice warnings from various ocean liners, the wireless operators ignored the alerts and the ship’s officers, unaware of the danger, continued to sail on at normal speed.

This left me to ponder the “what ifs” or “should haves.” What was most devastating about the Titanic was that the tragedy could have been avoided. We can only speculate on what truly happened that moonless evening, but one thing’s for sure, the story of the Titanic, its passengers and crew, live on in this compellingly curated experience.

Upon reaching the Memorial Gallery, we took our boarding pass to check the Memorial Wall to see if our passengers — the names on our tickets — had survived. I initially hesitated, not wanting to know the fate of my passenger — a Mrs. Thomas William Solomon Brown (Elizabeth Catherine Ford), who was a Second Class passenger. Thankfully, she was one of the 705 who survived.

“Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” comes to South East Asia for the first time at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands. Exhibit is ongoing until 29 April 2012. April 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic.