It was a century ago that the Titanic, the largest and most luxurious ship ever built at the time, embarked on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. RMS Titanic collided with an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912. Because it’s the centenary year, there’s been a lot of renewed interest in the Titanic story. The Belfast shipyards now house the cutting-edge visitor attraction called Titanic Belfast, cruise liners are making special Titanic-themed voyages, and other cities touched by the Titanic’s history are marking the anniversary with special exhibits.
The city of Cherbourg on the Normandy coast of France was one of the ports where Titanic docked before sailing onto Ireland. Visitors to Normandy this spring can relive the tragic tale in a new, 2,500-square-meter exhibition area opening at Cherbourg’s Cité de La Mer. Walk through the passenger terminal’s baggage room, and learn about life on board the vessel through archive photos, films, and artifacts. A big focus of the second half of the exhibit is the exodus of European emigrants to the New World, and the history of emigration. For more information, visit www.cherbourg-titanic.com.
Image of the Titanic entering Cherbourg Harbour via www.cherbourg-titanic.com