Titanic Exhibition

[qubdub]

I was at first sceptical over this whole Titanic project but the figures released seem to justify it. Whether the centre will maintain enough visitors in the coming years remains to be seen. I have yet to visit it but have been up in and around it (never looks busy!) and will probably call in at some stage during the summer.

Would disagree about the thing being distasteful, the only thing I find distasteful is the Titanic memorial that they put in at city hall. Why it took them this long to 'remember' is puzzling (Wonder will they remember the famine?)

[ziggysego]

I was there last May. Didn't like it. It was badly organised and some of the expeditions were hyped up too much in the media.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

I was there last summer when I was home on holiday and I thought it was fantastic.
The missus thought it was great as well.

[Eamonnca1]

I've never been, nor intend to go, but I'd imagine it's a place you'd only want to see once. In five years, it'll be struggling. If not before.

I honestly think the whole thing is very distateful. What was it, 700 odd people die and they're celebrating it? They should hang their heads in shame. Any other city would want to try and rid themselves of any connection with such a thing. But not Belfast!

Who said it was a celebration of people dying? Seems  more like a celebration of the city's contribution to the industrial world.

[Maguire01]

I've never been, nor intend to go, but I'd imagine it's a place you'd only want to see once. In five years, it'll be struggling. If not before.

So your analysis is based on somewhere you've never been and seem to know little about. If there's a good market from tourists, then it'll hardly matter if it's a place people only go to once. Factor in the likes of steady business from school tours and functions and there's probably a decent starting point for regular custom.

I honestly think the whole thing is very distateful. What was it, 700 odd people die and they're celebrating it? They should hang their heads in shame. Any other city would want to try and rid themselves of any connection with such a thing. But not Belfast!

It's as much a celebration of people dying as Auschwitz is a celebration of the holocaust.

And why would you rid yourself with a connection that 800,000 people will pay to see in a year?

[BennyCake]

I meant that it's distasteful celebrating a ship that sank (with the loss of 700 lives), not celebrating that 700 people died.

If it's indeed a celebration of Belfast shipbuilding, it doesn't do much for that as it didn't even complete one trip across the Atlantic.

[Maguire01]

I meant that it's distasteful celebrating a ship that sank (with the loss of 700 lives), not celebrating that 700 people died.

If it's indeed a celebration of Belfast shipbuilding, it doesn't do much for that as it didn't even complete one trip across the Atlantic.

I don't think it's so much 'celebrating' as telling a story.

[armaghniac]

I don't think it's so much 'celebrating' as telling a story.

Exactly. It is commemorating, not celebrating. It is reflecting on life and how it changes. 

[BarryBreensBandage]

I meant that it's distasteful celebrating a ship that sank (with the loss of 700 lives), not celebrating that 700 people died.

If it's indeed a celebration of Belfast shipbuilding, it doesn't do much for that as it didn't even complete one trip across the Atlantic.

Did you think the same when the movie was made?

But, an interesting point you have made - when is too soon to commemorate or look at a project like this?

I think most people are comfortable with the Titanic project because of the few, if any survivors and relatives/friends who would have mourned their passing.

And that could be the sticking point for the whole Maze Long Kesh project - maybe it is still too raw for people who lived and suffered throught the troubles, on both sides.

[Hardy]

I meant that it's distasteful celebrating a ship that sank (with the loss of 700 lives), not celebrating that 700 people died.

If it's indeed a celebration of Belfast shipbuilding, it doesn't do much for that as it didn't even complete one trip across the Atlantic.

Coming soon - a celebration of Ukrainian nuclear power plant building, to be followed by a celebration of Bangladeshi construction engineering.

[T Fearon]

Titanic centre is first class. Replicating among other things, parts of the shipyard as it was in the early 20th century and incorporating other aspects of social life and the industries of Belfast of the same era, with first class replicas of typical cabins from Prime to basic etc, audio visuals, biographies of the main people in the shipping company and crew etc, it is a  mini history of the entire period. It is also a popular spot for launching a host of events from the Ulster Championship to the N West 200 etc. The big question is would locals go back for a second visit, though I assume the offering is going to be changed periodically.

It is cashing in on the world wide interest in the disaster and can hardly be faulted for that. Is it distasteful? Well no, not when you consider that one of the great grandaughters of a passenger on the ill fated ship, runs her own Titanic Tours in Belfast.

It is a must see attraction for all visitors to Belfast and I guarantee all first time visitors will be impressed. You could easily spend the entire day there.

[Nally Stand]

I meant that it's distasteful celebrating a ship that sank (with the loss of 700 lives), not celebrating that 700 people died.

If it's indeed a celebration of Belfast shipbuilding, it doesn't do much for that as it didn't even complete one trip across the Atlantic.

Did you think the same when the movie was made?

But, an interesting point you have made - when is too soon to commemorate or look at a project like this?

I think most people are comfortable with the Titanic project because of the few, if any survivors and relatives/friends who would have mourned their passing.

And that could be the sticking point for the whole Maze Long Kesh project - maybe it is still too raw for people who lived and suffered throught the troubles, on both sides.

In fairness to Benny, some of the events to mark the 100th anniversary were a lot like celebrations rather than commemorations. Titanic themed crisps, titanic shaped childrens slides, titanic concert, MTV Titanic Sounds etc etc etc.... Here's how Katie Melua saw the centenary events: "I think the Titanic celebrations are very exciting. You realise what a historic event it was because it's been celebrated so much recently."

[T Fearon]

I think the word "celebrated" has many connotations, for example you hardly get a high when mass is "celebrated".

Belfast is inextricably linked with the Titanic brand, so why not cash in tastefully in the global interest. I thought the marking of the centenary last year was tasteful, with a host of religious ceremonies remembering the victims, not least one at the spot were the ship actually sunk.

As for the accusation that faulty workmanship at the yard caused the demise of the liner, well in the Titanic quarter in Belfast you'll see loads of t shirts and other memoribilia proclaiming the immortal words "It was alright when it left here!"

[Nally Stand]

Some events were tasteful but not everything was. You can't dress an MTV concert up as a commemoration no matter how hard you try!! To quote the Belfast Telegraph: "As the centenary approaches and the festivities beckon..."

Anyway the exhibition is fairly good alright, but not as impressive as the hype led me to believe. Noticeable too that if you ask most people what comes to mind when they think of H&W shipyard, they'll tell you two things, the Titanic and sectarianism. In 1912, the year of the Titanic's launch, over 6,000 Catholics were expelled from the shipyards and other industrial sites across Belfast. This institutionalized sectarianism is almost completely ignored by the exhibition. Hardly a surprise, but it's hard to claim to present an accurate picture of life in the shipyard (which is a big part of the museum) if the huge big elephant in the room is ignored.

[T Fearon]

I take your point, but the political centenaries, both 1912 and 1916 have a place in the exhibition, if memory serves me well.

As for pop concerts etc, are you saying people should have gone to Live Aid and not enjoyed themselves? It is possible to have an event for a tragic cause and celebrate the memory of the victims, or the cause that is being promoted. Far worse if they'd been forgotten about altogether.

Also if part of the remit of the Titanic Building and quarter is to usher Belfast into a new era, then its hardly appropriate to show negativity to the visitors, none of whom are likely to be interested in that aspect.