Titanic: The Experience
Docks at Buena Park, California
My Journey Aboard Titanic
On April 10, 1912, the largest and most luxurious passenger ship of its time set sail across the North Atlantic on her maiden voyage. Sadly, the R.M.S. Titanic and more than half of her 2,227 passengers and crew never reached their destination—New York.
I first learned about the maritime disaster from an old movie I’d seen when I was a kid in the 1960’s. The film was Titanic, starring Barbara Stanwyck. Several years later, I came across an article in our local newspaper about the sinking ship. The personal stories of the survivors stirred my curiosity. I wanted to know more about them.
I first learned about the maritime disaster from an old movie I’d seen when I was a kid in the 1960’s. The film was Titanic, starring Barbara Stanwyck. Several years later, I came across an article in our local newspaper about the sinking ship. The personal stories of the survivors stirred my curiosity. I wanted to know more about them.
I found this Titanic board game at our local thrift store for $1.50.
Three years ago, during one of my thrift store jaunts, I came across a board game based on the doomed ocean liner. The object of the game is to make your way to the upper decks of the ship and into a lifeboat. Ironically, here was a game for families to play together when there were entire families swept out to sea, many of their bodies never recovered.
As a writer, I felt a responsibility to help keep their memory alive. This was the beginning of my current work in progress, a collection of dramatic monologues capturing the voices from a bygone era.
And so my research began with a mountain of books and hundreds of pages of the Titanic Disaster U.S. Senate Inquiry to read. This was only the start of my journey aboard Titanic.
As a writer, I felt a responsibility to help keep their memory alive. This was the beginning of my current work in progress, a collection of dramatic monologues capturing the voices from a bygone era.
And so my research began with a mountain of books and hundreds of pages of the Titanic Disaster U.S. Senate Inquiry to read. This was only the start of my journey aboard Titanic.
Recently, Titanic: The Experience docked in Buena Park, in Southern California. I was there when its doors opened for the first time to the public.
Since I first learned that the exhibit was moving into the former Movieland Wax Museum I began counting the weeks, then the days until it opened. A few times I even made the trek—in Southern California traffic—to the site to grab a sneak peek at how the construction was coming along, then reported it on my YouTube channel.
Talk about over the moon excited! Okay, maybe a tad obsessed, but it's Titanic and for the past several years, I've traveled long distances to visit other Titanic exhibits in Las Vegas, Orlando, Florida, and Pigeon Forge Tennessee.
Then the towering Movieland Wax Museum sign came into view. It now included the new signs for Titanic: The Experience and Bodies. Both galleries presented by Premier Exhibitions, Inc., a company based in Atlanta, Georgia, that is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the ship and her passengers and crew.
My car slid into a parking slot. As I walked toward the main entrance, my mind tip-toed back to another time when passengers, from the elite to the most humble, boarded the ship. I imagined Third Class carrying everything they owned in their suitcases and holding onto their coveted ticket to a whole new way of life in America. Oh, the anticipation! In my writer’s mind, I could almost see their ghosts as they glided toward the Grand Entrance of the new museum in Orange County.
My car slid into a parking slot. As I walked toward the main entrance, my mind tip-toed back to another time when passengers, from the elite to the most humble, boarded the ship. I imagined Third Class carrying everything they owned in their suitcases and holding onto their coveted ticket to a whole new way of life in America. Oh, the anticipation! In my writer’s mind, I could almost see their ghosts as they glided toward the Grand Entrance of the new museum in Orange County.
I entered the building and stood in complete awe. The last video I’d taped for my YouTube channel was just nine days earlier. How they pulled this all together is almost miraculous in itself. They must have had crews working around the clock to meet their tight deadline. To be honest, I had my doubts that they’d open on schedule. But they did, and the large foyer was swamped with reporters and their camera crews—just the way newspaper men from another era gathered at the Southampton, Cherbourg, and Queenstown’s docks to document the momentous occasion.
Inside, the public arrived and lined up to book their passage on White Star Line's Titanic.
Inside, the public arrived and lined up to book their passage on White Star Line's Titanic.
When it was my turn, I approached the cashier standing behind the counter, “One for the Ship of Dreams,” I said. “And I’ll be traveling first class.” She handed me a White Star Line boarding pass. Printed on the back of the ticket was the name of an actual passenger who’d traveled on Titanic and some interesting historical facts.
This wall art is the first thing you'll see as you enter the exhibit building. The entrance to the Titanic exhibit is to the left, gift shop to the right.
Anxious, I could hardly wait to enter the museum. At last, the first group was ushered into a room where an actor in period clothing played the role of Captain Edward J. Smith.
The Senior Commander of the Titanic stood confidently before an original set of chime whistles from one of ship’s four funnels and explained how Titanic’s whistle could be heard for 11 miles on an open sea. He also revealed how it was considered bad luck to paint the name of a ship on its hull when it was under construction. Before Ship 401 (Titanic) was completed, at the Belfast Harbor in Ireland, one of the workers had scratched Titanic’s name across the hull—a bad omen of things to come?
The tone of my Titanic experience was set in motion. It was full steam ahead. I had embarked on the Ship of Dreams. And I was now a passenger transported back in time to April, 1912.
The Senior Commander of the Titanic stood confidently before an original set of chime whistles from one of ship’s four funnels and explained how Titanic’s whistle could be heard for 11 miles on an open sea. He also revealed how it was considered bad luck to paint the name of a ship on its hull when it was under construction. Before Ship 401 (Titanic) was completed, at the Belfast Harbor in Ireland, one of the workers had scratched Titanic’s name across the hull—a bad omen of things to come?
The tone of my Titanic experience was set in motion. It was full steam ahead. I had embarked on the Ship of Dreams. And I was now a passenger transported back in time to April, 1912.
The next exhibit, The Shipyard, whisked me off to Belfast, Ireland where Titanic was built by more than 15,000 shipbuilders. Here, I felt drawn to a full-blown black and white photograph of the men frozen midstride after a hard day’s work. The workers appeared to ignore the camera lens—all but a few. The expression of a curious boy about the age of twelve was captured as he glanced up at the photographer. The century old image is almost haunting.
Showcased in the heart of the room is a large model of the ship encased in glass. I slowly made my way around it twice, carefully studying its intricate details down to the miniature painted figures of the passengers and crew roaming the boat deck.
My Titanic experience was coming to life!
As I turned a corner, I was literally taken aback as I edged along a recreated First Class corridor flanked by closed doors and lit brass sconces on the freshly painted white walls. Behind these doors, the Millionaire Suites had their own private promenades. I imagined Bruce J. Ismay, Managing Director of the White Star Line, as he left the comfort of his lavish suite in the middle of the night—a suit hastily pulled over his pajamas—and headed toward the bridge where Captain Smith informed him that the ship had struck an iceberg.
(Click on the following You Tube video to listen to music played aboard Titanic.)
Showcased in the heart of the room is a large model of the ship encased in glass. I slowly made my way around it twice, carefully studying its intricate details down to the miniature painted figures of the passengers and crew roaming the boat deck.
My Titanic experience was coming to life!
As I turned a corner, I was literally taken aback as I edged along a recreated First Class corridor flanked by closed doors and lit brass sconces on the freshly painted white walls. Behind these doors, the Millionaire Suites had their own private promenades. I imagined Bruce J. Ismay, Managing Director of the White Star Line, as he left the comfort of his lavish suite in the middle of the night—a suit hastily pulled over his pajamas—and headed toward the bridge where Captain Smith informed him that the ship had struck an iceberg.
(Click on the following You Tube video to listen to music played aboard Titanic.)
To add to the realism, as I entered the Boiler Room sound effects such as the rumbling of engines and the First Class orchestra playing the Blue Danube Waltz could be heard throughout the exhibits. I felt as though I was really there, exploring the ship that stretched four city blocks long, 92 feet wide, and stood eleven stories high from the keel to the top of the four smoke stacks.
I chatted with First-Class passenger Margaret Brown. The Denver socialite stood before a lavishly furnished parlor suite dressed in a formal red gown draped with black lace. Margaret, better known as the famous Molly Brown, survived the sinking in Lifeboat No. 6 where she kept up everyone’s spirits during the frightening and bitter cold night.
Throughout the exhibit, you’ll discover a treasure-trove of artifacts retrieved from the debris field where Titanic settled in the North Atlantic and is now deteriorating with the ocean’s elements and time. Some of the historical items include: travel souvenirs such as a small figurine of a dog, a man’s patched work shirt and tool belt, a self-flushing latrine from Third Class, and a kitchen galley porthole that was once round, but now has a slight oblong shape, just to name a few of the 200 artifacts on display.
A shiver trickled down my spine as a mangled chandelier that once hung in the men’s First Class smoking room caught my eye. I looked at it from various angles, thinking how the light fixture must have crumpled like a tin toy as the ship slammed with great force on the ocean floor, scattering parts of her across the sandy sea bottom, which would become Titanic's grave.
At this point of my Titanic experience, I had lost all track of time.
I chatted with First-Class passenger Margaret Brown. The Denver socialite stood before a lavishly furnished parlor suite dressed in a formal red gown draped with black lace. Margaret, better known as the famous Molly Brown, survived the sinking in Lifeboat No. 6 where she kept up everyone’s spirits during the frightening and bitter cold night.
Throughout the exhibit, you’ll discover a treasure-trove of artifacts retrieved from the debris field where Titanic settled in the North Atlantic and is now deteriorating with the ocean’s elements and time. Some of the historical items include: travel souvenirs such as a small figurine of a dog, a man’s patched work shirt and tool belt, a self-flushing latrine from Third Class, and a kitchen galley porthole that was once round, but now has a slight oblong shape, just to name a few of the 200 artifacts on display.
A shiver trickled down my spine as a mangled chandelier that once hung in the men’s First Class smoking room caught my eye. I looked at it from various angles, thinking how the light fixture must have crumpled like a tin toy as the ship slammed with great force on the ocean floor, scattering parts of her across the sandy sea bottom, which would become Titanic's grave.
At this point of my Titanic experience, I had lost all track of time.
I continued along and bumped into third class passenger Winnie “Minnie” Coutts of Ireland. We stood
before a locked ironed gate leading to a stairwell. In my research I’ve discovered conflicting information about Third Class passengers not being permitted to the upper decks during the ship’s evacuation. So, I asked
Minnie.
In her Irish brogue the character actor explained why some of the gates to the stairwells in the lower decks of the ship—Steerage—were locked. If a Third Class passenger were to become ill and contagious, she said, it was believed the chained gate would help prevent disease from spreading throughout the upper
decks.
Minnie then recalled how she herself had come upon a barred gate as she attempted to flee the ill-fated ship with her two young sons. Lucky for her, she ran into a crewman who gave her directions. He also gave her his lifejacket, asking her to pray for him if she should be saved. Goosebumps rose on my arms as she recounted her harrowing tale.
During my visit, I’d often forget that the Titanic characters I spoke with were actors. Good actors. I was impressed with their authentic portrayals.
before a locked ironed gate leading to a stairwell. In my research I’ve discovered conflicting information about Third Class passengers not being permitted to the upper decks during the ship’s evacuation. So, I asked
Minnie.
In her Irish brogue the character actor explained why some of the gates to the stairwells in the lower decks of the ship—Steerage—were locked. If a Third Class passenger were to become ill and contagious, she said, it was believed the chained gate would help prevent disease from spreading throughout the upper
decks.
Minnie then recalled how she herself had come upon a barred gate as she attempted to flee the ill-fated ship with her two young sons. Lucky for her, she ran into a crewman who gave her directions. He also gave her his lifejacket, asking her to pray for him if she should be saved. Goosebumps rose on my arms as she recounted her harrowing tale.
During my visit, I’d often forget that the Titanic characters I spoke with were actors. Good actors. I was impressed with their authentic portrayals.
As I entered the bowels of the ship, I was met by an eerie red glow emanating from the tons of coal
shoveled into the mouths of the furnaces of the monster boilers. Giant shadows flickered. And the rumbling of the ship’s engines dragged me further back in time.
It took 850 tons of coal per day to power the electrical generators and the ship’s three engines. Titanic’s boiler room had 29 boilers and 159 furnaces. As the ship settled into the sea, the crew—engineers, firemen, stokers, trimmers and greasers—kept shoveling coal, keeping the ship brightly lit and the Marconi Telegraph machine operating until about two minutes before she took her final plunge to the bottom of the ocean. These brave men are among Titanic’s unsung heroes.
Perhaps, one of the most interesting artifacts displayed in this room was a watertight door shaft from one of the bulkheads located between number One and Two boiler rooms. I couldn’t quite grasp how it operated and as I spun around to inquire, I gasped as I saw a replica of the shaft positioned high above the doorframe. The purpose of the release mechanism was now clear. I shuddered as I envisioned those steel bulkhead doors slamming shut after Captain Smith gave the order, accompanied by an emergency warning bell.
As I stepped through the bulkhead doorway, I thought of the panic and the adrenaline that must have been pumping through these men, also known as the Black Gang because of the coal dust that settled on their faces and chests. They had 30 seconds to get out before the room filled with seawater.
shoveled into the mouths of the furnaces of the monster boilers. Giant shadows flickered. And the rumbling of the ship’s engines dragged me further back in time.
It took 850 tons of coal per day to power the electrical generators and the ship’s three engines. Titanic’s boiler room had 29 boilers and 159 furnaces. As the ship settled into the sea, the crew—engineers, firemen, stokers, trimmers and greasers—kept shoveling coal, keeping the ship brightly lit and the Marconi Telegraph machine operating until about two minutes before she took her final plunge to the bottom of the ocean. These brave men are among Titanic’s unsung heroes.
Perhaps, one of the most interesting artifacts displayed in this room was a watertight door shaft from one of the bulkheads located between number One and Two boiler rooms. I couldn’t quite grasp how it operated and as I spun around to inquire, I gasped as I saw a replica of the shaft positioned high above the doorframe. The purpose of the release mechanism was now clear. I shuddered as I envisioned those steel bulkhead doors slamming shut after Captain Smith gave the order, accompanied by an emergency warning bell.
As I stepped through the bulkhead doorway, I thought of the panic and the adrenaline that must have been pumping through these men, also known as the Black Gang because of the coal dust that settled on their faces and chests. They had 30 seconds to get out before the room filled with seawater.
In the Iceberg Room, visitors are encouraged to touch a man-made iceberg. While the berg was interesting, I found myself drawn to the artifacts such as the Docking Bridge Telephone Stand originally located at the stern of the ship. The stand and housing box once held a telephone. Also in the room was a pair of binoculars, which most likely belonged to one of the ship’s passengers. I stooped low and looked up through the cloudy glass lenses toward the opposite end and imagined a pair of eyes from the past staring back at me.
But the most emotional experience of my tour was the mock lifeboat that I was whisked into. A uniformed ship’s officer stood at the bow of the boat and spoke of the horrific scene that took place a little more than a century ago. Suddenly, an enormous movie screen lit up. And there before us was Titanic as she slanted and settled fast into the sea, finally splitting in half and sinking beneath the dark waves.
The sound of the desperate cries of those tossed into the icy water made me cringe.
For the first time since I began researching Titanic, I had a better idea of what the survivors in the lifeboats must have witnessed. Though, many of the saved have stated in past interviews, there aren’t words to fully describe what they saw and heard on that unforgettable and horrible April night.
As dawn approached, a ship's rockets shot toward the sky and the 705 survivors were picked up by their rescuers, the R.M.S. Carpathia. The officer’s eyes filled with tears as he recounted the emotionally-charged animated scene. When it was over, the lights came on and with a stoic expression, he said, “Fairwinds.” And I solemnly disembarked the wooden boat.
Before continuing, I stood on the opposite side of the wall, peeked around the corner and watched the dramatic scene unfold one more time.
Then I quietly slipped away through a dimly lit hallway, leading to galleries housing the personal belongings of several passengers, including popular sheet music of the day, Kiss Me, My Honey, Kiss Me, recovered in a trunk holding the possessions of musician Howard Irwin. The twenty-one-year-old and his best friend, Henry Sutehall, had been traveling across America and abroad for two years. On the day Titanic sailed, Irwin missed the ship. He’d been shanghaied the day before and forced into labor aboard another vessel bound for the Far East. Henry went down with the ship along with everything Irwin owned.
But the most emotional experience of my tour was the mock lifeboat that I was whisked into. A uniformed ship’s officer stood at the bow of the boat and spoke of the horrific scene that took place a little more than a century ago. Suddenly, an enormous movie screen lit up. And there before us was Titanic as she slanted and settled fast into the sea, finally splitting in half and sinking beneath the dark waves.
The sound of the desperate cries of those tossed into the icy water made me cringe.
For the first time since I began researching Titanic, I had a better idea of what the survivors in the lifeboats must have witnessed. Though, many of the saved have stated in past interviews, there aren’t words to fully describe what they saw and heard on that unforgettable and horrible April night.
As dawn approached, a ship's rockets shot toward the sky and the 705 survivors were picked up by their rescuers, the R.M.S. Carpathia. The officer’s eyes filled with tears as he recounted the emotionally-charged animated scene. When it was over, the lights came on and with a stoic expression, he said, “Fairwinds.” And I solemnly disembarked the wooden boat.
Before continuing, I stood on the opposite side of the wall, peeked around the corner and watched the dramatic scene unfold one more time.
Then I quietly slipped away through a dimly lit hallway, leading to galleries housing the personal belongings of several passengers, including popular sheet music of the day, Kiss Me, My Honey, Kiss Me, recovered in a trunk holding the possessions of musician Howard Irwin. The twenty-one-year-old and his best friend, Henry Sutehall, had been traveling across America and abroad for two years. On the day Titanic sailed, Irwin missed the ship. He’d been shanghaied the day before and forced into labor aboard another vessel bound for the Far East. Henry went down with the ship along with everything Irwin owned.
Wandering over to the memorial wall, I sat in one of two benches provided, and took a moment to reflect on the more than 1,500 souls lost at sea, all of their names engraved on the large wall. Here, visitors can check the White Star Line boarding pass they received at the start of the tour and learn if their passenger survived or perished.
My passenger, Mrs. Helen Bishop, 19, and her husband of five months entered Lifeboat 7, the first craft to leave the ship. During the couple’s honeymoon in Egypt, a fortune teller predicted Helen would survive both a shipwreck and an earthquake, but an automobile accident would claim her life. In the same year, she survived the Titanic and then an earthquake in California. Then in 1913, her skull was severely fractured in a car accident. She was not expected to live. She survived. Though, in March 1916, Helen slipped on a rug—and fell. She died of complications from the head injuries she sustained in the auto accident. At the time of her death, she was only 23 years old.
My passenger, Mrs. Helen Bishop, 19, and her husband of five months entered Lifeboat 7, the first craft to leave the ship. During the couple’s honeymoon in Egypt, a fortune teller predicted Helen would survive both a shipwreck and an earthquake, but an automobile accident would claim her life. In the same year, she survived the Titanic and then an earthquake in California. Then in 1913, her skull was severely fractured in a car accident. She was not expected to live. She survived. Though, in March 1916, Helen slipped on a rug—and fell. She died of complications from the head injuries she sustained in the auto accident. At the time of her death, she was only 23 years old.
I expected the memorial wall to conclude my time travel experience. But there was one last room left to explore.
Flash forward 73 years when Titanic was first discovered two and half miles beneath the surface of the ocean. As you enter this underwater exhibit you’ll experience what it’s like to accompany one of the submarine expeditions. At first, I was reluctant to step onto the glass tiled floor with a white sandy ocean bottom inches beneath the soles of my shoes. In fact, I was so focused on the see-through floor that I hadn’t noticed what was standing just a few feet in front of me. I finally glanced up and gasped. The massive steel gangway door from D-deck—from the Starboard side of the ship—commanded the room. First Class passengers passed through this very door as they boarded Titanic. Once inside they entered a set of more elaborate doors leading to the Grand Staircase and elevators.
Reverently, I stood before the rusted steel door, its thick glass windows still intact. Again, my imagination conjured up the ghosts of yesteryear strolling through this inviting entrance not knowing that in five days the security of the 'practically unsinkable' ship would slip away from beneath their feet. Many of the women would lose their husbands and sons to the sea, and children would become fatherless. Without enough lifeboats, most of Third Class and the crew never had a chance.
I circled the steel door several more times before checking out the rest of this exhibit.
Reflective images of light like those from a swimming pool flickered on the ceiling, walls, and floor, creating the illusion of being underwater. Nearby, there were several large screens featuring videos of the research and recovery expeditions. One screen offers a 3-D movie of the deteriorating ship and artifacts, including Captain Smith’s clawed bathtub. (When entering this exhibit, be sure to pick up a pair of 3-D glasses. I found them in box on the floor, on the right side of the room.)
On my way out of the final exhibition hall, I placed my palm on the full-size wall, a recreation of the rusting hull of the ship with its rivets. Then I took a deep breath and resurfaced to modern-day reality. As you exit the tour, you’ll enter a large gift shop offering everything from books to t-shirts and other souvenirs from both exhibitions.
Flash forward 73 years when Titanic was first discovered two and half miles beneath the surface of the ocean. As you enter this underwater exhibit you’ll experience what it’s like to accompany one of the submarine expeditions. At first, I was reluctant to step onto the glass tiled floor with a white sandy ocean bottom inches beneath the soles of my shoes. In fact, I was so focused on the see-through floor that I hadn’t noticed what was standing just a few feet in front of me. I finally glanced up and gasped. The massive steel gangway door from D-deck—from the Starboard side of the ship—commanded the room. First Class passengers passed through this very door as they boarded Titanic. Once inside they entered a set of more elaborate doors leading to the Grand Staircase and elevators.
Reverently, I stood before the rusted steel door, its thick glass windows still intact. Again, my imagination conjured up the ghosts of yesteryear strolling through this inviting entrance not knowing that in five days the security of the 'practically unsinkable' ship would slip away from beneath their feet. Many of the women would lose their husbands and sons to the sea, and children would become fatherless. Without enough lifeboats, most of Third Class and the crew never had a chance.
I circled the steel door several more times before checking out the rest of this exhibit.
Reflective images of light like those from a swimming pool flickered on the ceiling, walls, and floor, creating the illusion of being underwater. Nearby, there were several large screens featuring videos of the research and recovery expeditions. One screen offers a 3-D movie of the deteriorating ship and artifacts, including Captain Smith’s clawed bathtub. (When entering this exhibit, be sure to pick up a pair of 3-D glasses. I found them in box on the floor, on the right side of the room.)
On my way out of the final exhibition hall, I placed my palm on the full-size wall, a recreation of the rusting hull of the ship with its rivets. Then I took a deep breath and resurfaced to modern-day reality. As you exit the tour, you’ll enter a large gift shop offering everything from books to t-shirts and other souvenirs from both exhibitions.
I purchased this book in the gift shop.
When one of the cashiers asked what I thought of the exhibit, my quick reply was, “Fantastic!” Followed by, “It was really, really, really good!” Yes, it was that good!
As a former journalist, I’ve visited many museums in the Southland and all had something interesting to offer. Though, I can only remember one other time where I left with a strong feeling that I had not just been to another exhibit, but experienced something extraordinary.
Titanic: The Experience is truly an experience. If you are able to visit sometime, I highly recommend it.
I headed out to my car, realizing I had spent five hours at the exhibit. I even missed my lunch date with my husband. Pulling out of the parking lot and heading back onto Beach Boulevard toward the 91 Freeway, I knew I’d be boarding the Ship of Dreams again soon. Real soon.
Maybe I’ll see you there!
Titanic: The Experience is located at 7711 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, California (former Movieland Wax Museum)
NOTE: As of April 17, 2016, the Titanic Museum, in Buena Park, California closed its doors.
For more information about Titanic: The Experience and for ticket prices visit http://titanictheexperience.com/
As a former journalist, I’ve visited many museums in the Southland and all had something interesting to offer. Though, I can only remember one other time where I left with a strong feeling that I had not just been to another exhibit, but experienced something extraordinary.
Titanic: The Experience is truly an experience. If you are able to visit sometime, I highly recommend it.
I headed out to my car, realizing I had spent five hours at the exhibit. I even missed my lunch date with my husband. Pulling out of the parking lot and heading back onto Beach Boulevard toward the 91 Freeway, I knew I’d be boarding the Ship of Dreams again soon. Real soon.
Maybe I’ll see you there!
Titanic: The Experience is located at 7711 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, California (former Movieland Wax Museum)
NOTE: As of April 17, 2016, the Titanic Museum, in Buena Park, California closed its doors.
For more information about Titanic: The Experience and for ticket prices visit http://titanictheexperience.com/
