AN original deck chair from the RMS Titanic and the world-famous violin belonging to the ship’s hero musician, Wallace Hartley, are to go on display in Belfast.
The items will go on show at Titanic Belfast, which is due to reopen on Saturday, following a £4.5 million pound upgrade.
As part of the new collection, the world-leading visitor attraction will also exhibit a number of artefacts that have never been on public display before including a plan of first class accommodation, which was issued exclusively to first class passengers to help them navigate the luxury liner.
The plan belonged to Ellen Bird, the personal maid to Ida Straus, whose husband, Isidor, owned Macy’s department store in New York.
Other artefacts being displayed for the first time include items belonging to Malcolm Joakim Johnson, including his personal pocket watch, which survived the sinking and was recovered from his body.
The hands of the corroded Omega are frozen in time at 1.37am, the exact moment he was immersed into the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
His manifest ticket which is stamped 10th April 1912 and a set of five rare original glass plate photographs of Titanic’s launch in Belfast on 31st May 1911 will also be on display.
The refreshed experience introduces 'The Pursuit of Dreams' as a new theme and will combine immersive new technology with this original maritime heritage collection and the authentic Titanic story to deliver an enriched, emotive experience, which will "sustain Titanic Belfast as a must-see global attraction for years to come".
Judith Owens, chief executive of Titanic Belfast, said: "We are honoured to have been entrusted to display these extremely rare artefacts connected to RMS Titanic’s story.
"They are of great historical significance and will be very powerful in helping visitors make emotional and human connections to the stories of Titanic’s passengers and crew as part of the reimagined Titanic Experience."
Tickets for the new Titanic Experience can be booked at titanicbelfast.com.
