Titanic Belfast - Northern Ireland

Titanic Belfast

It’s not an accident that Titanic Belfast looks like passing ships or that from above it resembles a star or that it opened in 2012… one hundred years after the ship’s tragic maiden voyage. 

The iconic six-floor building located on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard in the city’s Titanic Quarter in the heart of Belfast sits just 100 yards from slipway number 2 where the historic ship was constructed.  To the right is the drawing office where she was designed and to the left is the River Lagan where she first set sail.

Actually the outside resembles the hulls of four ships covered with bright metal shards that resemble ocean waves from reflected light.  Some even say it resembles an iceberg.  The aerial star shape of the building is symbolic of the ship’s owner, the White Star Line.

Once inside, the giant atrium greets visitors as they embark on a self-guided tour through nine galleries that tell the story of the Titanic from its construction on Queen’s Island through its tragic sinking to its underwater discovery and her place in modern culture today.

The Titanic experience is told through state-of-the-art exhibits, interactive displays, audio, film, CGI, full-size replicas, and artifacts.  The highlight of the tour will be a dark ride through the Titanic under construction.

The Galleries

Gallery 1: Boomtown Belfast—Learn about booming Belfast in the early 1900s and walk through the Harland and Wolff shipyards where the Titanic was built.

Gallery 2: The Shipyard Ride—Experience the thrilling dark ride through the shipyard and encounter the sights, sounds, and smells of the Titanic’s construction.

Gallery 3: The Launch of Titanic—Experience the excitement of the ship’s launching as you look out to Titanic sitting on her slipway, made possible by innovative glazing that incorporates original imagery from the time.

Interior of Titanic exhibit

Gallery 4: Fitting-Out—Watch as the Titanic’s interior craftsmanship comes to life and view the luxury built into the epic ship.

Gallery 5: Maiden Voyage—Learn the stories of the passengers, crew, and heroes who embarked on the Titanic’s maiden voyage.

Gallery 6: The Sinking—Relive the drama as the Titanic sinks after hitting an iceberg.

Gallery 7: The Aftermath—Learn of the world’s reaction to the tragedy through news reports and recordings enhanced by live performances and exhibits.  Visitors can use interactive screens to search the passenger and crew lists to find out if one of their relatives was aboard the ship. 

Gallery 8: Myths and Reality—Separate fact from fiction through the many films, stories, and fantasies that have been inspired by the Titanic legend through interactive touch screens.  Celine Dion’s song My Heart Will Go On plays in the background.

Gallery 9: Visit and Explore the Wreck—Follow Dr. Robert Ballard, the discoverer of the Titanic’s resting place on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in 1985, as he works with Titanic Belfast.  Visitors will be able to visit the wreck with live links to the contemporary undersea exploration, however actual artifacts retrieved from the Titanic Wreck Site and Debris Field will not be on display for ethical reasons.

This video, National Geographic Live! – Robert Ballard: Restore the Titanic (20:29), tells the background leading up to Dr. Ballard's Titanic discovery in his own words just before the Titanic Belfast opened in 2012.  

The Ocean Exploration Centre is located just beneath Gallery 9 and promotes the exploration of the Titanic site as well as other areas of the ocean surrounding Northern Ireland.  Discover ocean secrets in real time with live video feeds.

A replica of the Grand Staircase is located on the fifth and sixth floors in the Titanic Suite.  Unfortunately, this suite is reserved exclusively for banquets and conferences.  The only way visitors may view the staircase is to have afternoon tea on Sunday afternoons!

In front of the building stands, Titanica, a bronze female figure sculpture by Rowan Gillespie, which resembles a figurehead on a ship's prow.  Representing hope and positivity, it was dedicated by representatives of the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches.

It takes about 2-3 hours to tour the entire exhibit.  Take time also to visit each section of the Titanic Belfast official web site and learn many Titanic stories and ship facts.  Make your time at the world’s largest Titanic exhibition count.

RMS Titanic on maiden voyage, 1912

Ferry from Cairnryan, Scotland, to Belfast, Northern Ireland

Cairnryan on Loch Ryan

Cairnryan, Scotland, is a tiny little port town in Dumphries & Galloway on the eastern shore of Loch Ryan, an important sea loch that acts as a natural harbor for shipping.  Its calm waters also make it a natural choice for ferry service between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

During World War II, Loch Ryan was a busy place for war activity, and Cairnryan was named No. 2 Military Port. One of 3 military built piers can still be seen here although it is in disrepair and fishermen are its only visitors.

Thousands of troops were based in military camps in Cairnryan, and it was here the Atlantic U-boat fleet surrendered and was later hauled out to the North Channel and scuttled.  This activity was codenamed “Operation Deadlight.”

Concrete pontoon “boats” can still be seen off the shore north of Cairnryan, yet another remnant of WWII.  They are “beetles” from the Mulberry Harbour Project.  The beetle pontoons were used to hold up the “Whale” roadway sections, with four of the whales built at Cairnryan.

In the late 1960s, Cairnryan was used as a dismantling site for British air craft carriers and other sizable vessels.

Little is left of the village except for Lochryan Hotel, a few bed and breakfasts, a few shops, and the Merchant’s House Restaurant.  Even the church and the post office are gone.

Stena Line ferry

Today, Cairnryan serves as a port for 2 ferry lines, Stena Line and P&O Ferries.  In 2011, Stena Line began running its ferry service to the Port of Belfast in Northern Island from a new terminal at Old House Point in Cairnryan, rather than from Stranraer .

Stena line is the world’s largest ferry operator and the largest privately owned shipping company in the world.  They have 2 ferries that make 6 daily crossings.  The trip takes 2 hours and 15 minutes.