Explore the Titanic

There are very few people reading this who wouldn’t be aware of the story of the Titanic. It’s been almost a century since the massive ship, proclaimed ‘unsinkable’, proved everyone very wrong in an encounter with an iceberg and took more than a thousand lives with it. Since its discovery in 1984, a number of expeditions have been sent to the icy depths to explore the remains and recover artefacts, and it’s these findings that now make up a temporary exhibition at Museum Victoria.

It’s easy to forget that the items on display have spent at least 70 years at the bottom of the ocean. There are everyday items including wallets, coins, shirts, bowls, toiletries and glasses. There are hunks of the ship, along with light fittings, doors and ornate light fittings. Amazingly enough there’s also paper — barely legible, but still in one piece after so long under water. Most of them are remarkably well preserved considering the trauma they represent.