Any favorite moments from past Titanic Artifact exhibitions

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Tarn Stephanos

Member
For those who worked,volunteered,or visited past (or present) Titanic Artifact exhibitions- any favorite moments or memories? What was it like for you to see these objects from the Titanic in person for the first time?

Scores of vistors would be lost in contemplation when they touched the lifeboat davit. For me the moment ill never forget was when the Big Piece came to Boston, touching it for the first time...its was an experience beyond words... And to hear Titanic's whistles sound in St. Paul enabled us all to hear the voice of the great ship- it brought tears to my eyes...

Please share your special memories of the exhibits!

Thanks


Tarn Stephanos
 
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Dr. Douglas B. Willingham

Member
Hello, Tarn!

I've attended the Dallas and Houston Titanic Artifacts exhibits and also downloaded the Titanic whistle recording from St. Paul. A ship's whistle being described as the "soul" of a ship, that was surely a soulful moment for me. I can only imagine, though, what it meant to you to have the opportunity to pull the lever yourself and hear that sound in person.

Items intimately related to Titanic passengers and crew, such as letters, postcards, toiletry items and that amazing suit of clothes laid out under glass in Dallas were especially poignant parts of the exhibit. Seeing the whistle mounted at the entrance to the Houston exhibit of course was awesome.

In general I appreciated the low lighting, the reverential tone of the displays and the fact that the exhibits were user friendly to all, from children to serious students of the disaster.

I hope to see other versions of this exhibit around the country with different artifacts.

Best regards,
Doug
 
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Dr. Douglas B. Willingham

Member
Plus, I finally got to meet the infamous Pat Cook face-to-face at the Houston exhibit.
 
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Colleen Collier

Member
>>>I finally got to meet the infamous Pat Cook face-to-face at the Houston exhibit.<<< Unfortunately, rapscallions wander around Houston too! But if you give them that dollar, they just stay around.
Smile
......
(You are lucky, Dr. I wish I could meet him... We could compare notes on the traumatic experience of meeting Geoff.)
Wink
 
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Pat Cook

Member
Doug mentioned: "Plus, I finally got to meet the infamous Pat Cook face-to-face at the Houston exhibit."

Yes but being a doctor he's used to dealing with this sort of pain!

As ever,
Cook

ps. Looking forward to meeting you, too, Colleen, whenver this happens!
 
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Geoff Whitfield

Member
Cook, Hope you are not too disappointed!! Boy, did this old timer get out of bed the wrong side today!

Geoff
 
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Pat Cook

Member
You know, they say that when the mind starts to go bonkers, Whitfield can show it the way...
 
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Geoff Whitfield

Member
Whaddya mean "traumatic" Collier??? I was on my best behaviour when we met - the typical Englishman abroad!

Geoff
 
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George Behe

Member
A typical Englishman and a broad, eh? (Yep -- that's the Geoff Whitfield we all know and love.) :)

All my best,

George
 
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Geoff Whitfield

Member
It's just an ugly rumour fuelled by Behe observing Cook and myself dressed up for a night out with the over eighties club - George was just jealous that Matron wouldn't let him go too as he had caused trouble over taking his medicine that day.

Geoff
 
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Pat Cook

Member
"...observing Cook and myself dressed up for a night out with the over eighties club."

I thought they were referring to my golf score, I swear, I thought they were referring to my golf score...
 
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Darren Honeycutt

Member
I have a special memory at the exhibit that was in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1998. We were standing in line and just ahead of us all of a sudden there were flashes from photographers and clapping from visitors and employees. I looked up and I could have sworn it was Millvina Dean herself. It wasn't, it was the 100,000 visitor to the exhibit who can an uncanny resemblance to Miss Dean. Also, special at that particular exhibit was meeting a good friend of Eva Harts- Dennis Cochran.
 
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Hillary Kidd

Guest
I'd have to say that my favorite memory from when I worked at the Dallas Exhibit was when I got to touch the Big Piece. The story of the Titanic had always been something I was interested in, but it wasn't until I actually saw artifacts and touched a piece of her that it hit me. This wasn't just a horrible story of a ship that hit an iceberg and sank. I don't know, I'd always felt sad for all the souls who died, but seeing their belongs made it different. It wasn't just an event you read about or a blockbuster movie you watch, it brings it to real life. The only way I can describe it was when I visited Ground Zero for the first time. I saw every horrific event of 9/11 unfold on TV, but the impact doesn't really hit you until you are standing in front of the gapping hole. At least that's the way it was for me. It's just different being there.
That's the only way I know to describe it. Most of the people I worked with in my section could have cared less about Titanic, it was just a job to them. But my work experience sparked a new career path for me that I'll always be thankful for. Without the chance to work at the exhibit I probably would have never learned of art conservation and certainly wouldn't be getting a degree in it.

Hillary
 
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Tarn Stephanos

Member
Hi Hillary

Hillary was one of my favorite Dallas exhibit staff members. She always had a smile and was eager to learn about Titanic.
Good to see you on ET!

Tarn Stephanos
 
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Hillary Kidd

Guest
Hey Tarn!

What a nice thing to say. I learned a lot for you. SFX was extremely fortunate to have such an intelligent historian working for them and so was the Dallas team. It was their loss the day you left the traveling exhibits. I look forward to reading more of your posts . . .

Hillary
 
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