What future do you all want for the recovered 6000 Titanic artifacts

[Tarn Stephanos]

In my opinion, RMS Titanic Inc should have established a permanent Titanic artifact museum years ago- Larger and more delicate pieces (Most notibly 'The Big Piece') should be exhibited onsite, relationships could be established with universities with conservation, maritime history, and nautical archaeology programs (and thus spark the creation of internships), thus gaining support and recognition by academia. The traveling exhibits could still occour, and they could debut newly recovered artifacts...but they would exist to promote the Titanic Artifact Museum.
The Titanic museum in Branson seems a smash success- Imagine a museum of that size that housed with artifacts from the wreck, and a conservation facility. RMSTI could even have cornered the market in offering public access to the wrecksite, and dives to the site....

Who knows what will happen- The traveling exhibit will occour so long as they make money, and my hunch is the entire collection will eventually be sold off to an outside entity..
To date I have seen no eveidence that the current incarnation of RMSTI has any intention of establishing a permanent Titanic artifact museum-but I hope I'm wrong....Rest assured after years of traveling on the road, the artifacts will suffer from wear and tear.....

A Titanic Artifact Museum should exist in an area with a very high volume of tourism-because tourists pay $, and money is needed to keep any museum afloat.. Belfast simply lacks the volume of tourism to justify the museum- I'd pick Boston, New York, Chicago or London.....

 

[steven evans]

Paul Rogers
you know where they should be at the bottom of the ocean, people forget it is a grave site not just a broken liner and it should be treated has a grave site not making money, what makes me sick is these low life's who defend the decision's to take the crown jewel's of the ship and they do not understand titanic and what she represents, they have the nerve the one's who call themselves titanic inc so they could take her crown jewels to make money it's sick and a disgrace I wonder where they are now, how could anyone make money from a disaster. who has the artifact's if they had the decency they would get the item's and return them to the wreck where they belong we should learn from titanic not make money, the only thing they should make money from is model's of the ship book's and newspaper's before and after the sinking.

 

[Matthew Farr]

I, like many of the rest of you, believe the artifacts should be in a permanent museum of some kind. I am not picky as to the location as long as they are not separated or sold off.

Steven,
>>People forget it is a grave site<<

So is the Lusitania wreck site and hundreds and hundreds of others but they do not get the attention that Titanic gets.
Remember that before the government stepped in the Titanic wreck site was like any other wreck site subject international salvage laws. Anyone could have taken anything they wanted to if they had the means to do it.

 

[Richard Stover]

They still can if they REALLY wanted to. What's to stop someone with the resources to do so? The site isn't watched around the clock, so someone with a ton of money who doesn't care about about public opinion who wants items for their private collections could do whatever they want and could get away with it for awhile at least.
Not saying it would ever happen but that it is possible although not very likely. (Although there is at least one rumor of a pirate expedition to the wreck floating around out there)
As for the artifacts, i've always envisioned a place that has a replica of the grand staircase area as the motif with each staircase landing leading to different levels of the museum. Plus i wouldn't do a museum just for Titanic. Be a lot more interesting to have a section devoted to the history and era's of the ships featured in the museum, one to different famous wrecks with recovered items from them, one to a working conservation area, ect.

 

[steven evans]

Matthew Farr
all disaster's should not be touched looked at but not taken thing's of the ship, pearl harbor is treated like a grave site 9/11 is treated like a grave site, the reason why titanic is so famous is the hype surrounding the ship before she sank how passenger's were treated so differently and the lessons the disaster gives people is not like any other ocean disaster.

you could say 9/11 gets attention in the way people can poke fun of disaster's like titanic vietnam world war 1 and 2 and a'lot of other disaster's but not 9/11, I am not being disrespective because it was a catastrophic disaster but any kind of disaster In America and it is like the end of the world when they forget in other country's it is 9/11 for them everyday, I am going completely of the topic about titanic but it isn't ironic what the terrorists done on that dark day and pearl harbor america has done to iraq and they feel just has strongly has america does about 9/11.

I have been just going on and on but what I mean is if people treat 9/11 has a grave site and give it total respect I think titanic and many disasters deserves the same respect has 9/11 no matter how long ago it is, but I think there is so much double standards for 9/11 and how people cannot say a word when I see people just make so much fun of vietnam titanic world war 1 and 2 how the jew's are looked at in some quarter's that they had it coming being gassed in the 40's during hitler's regime if that was people who said that about people who died in the tower's they would be shot, look at monty python during the war scene wasn't that making fun of the soldier's during the war if that was 9/11 it would be banned.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>pearl harbor is treated like a grave site 9/11 is treated like a grave site,<<

Actually, they're not. The World Trade Center has been cleared out and there are few if any human remains on site beyond a few fragments. Pearl Harbour, far from being a gravesite, is still an active naval base and shipyard. The wreck of the USS Arizona is considered a gravesite not only because there are the remains of her crew aboard, but also because those who have survived her destruction had their ashes interred on the wreck.

 

[Lajos Berínyi]

Sorry, I think, You, in the U.S.A. not exactly understand, what were the turning points in the history.
I'm writing from Hungary, a little state in Central Europe. My nation's 1000 years old, and sometimes was nearly destroyed. We've got turning points, and we understand what's mean. //Pearl Harbor's loss a few thousand lives, but the mongol invasion in 1242 destroyed 1.800.000 people of 2.000.000 hungarians. The WWII destroyed 60% of our land, and killed 3.000.000 people - these ONLY the civil.//

The sink of the Titanic was the real turning point in the life of Europe, and the World: After the disaster the people not believe in "perfect machines", and the people's general optimism was disappeared. The millionaires was carefully the (visible) luxury, and the distance between the poor and the lord growing bigger. The great projects (ships, buildings, railroads) were stopped. Nobody dared that. And all the culture was descended, against the technology. After, began the War, and the world was not the same. The British Empire went to pieces, and the order of the world was stopped.
The ending of the "golden age". The '10s years called we: "the happy peace times". After the War, the map was SO changed. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was fallen, and the power-balance turned over. NOTHING was the same, than few years ago.
The sink of the Titanic was the beginning of the end.
The artifact of the Titanic MUST still remaining. The human nation is forgetful. The same mistake's made in a little time. /Napoleon attacked against Moskow, but Hitler's not see, that's irreal. He attacked too.../
Without these artifacts - in the future, when the Titanic's wreck will disappear, and she was only the history /I daren't think for this!

/, the people will forget the tragedy. And the REASONS of it. The articacts MUST to save.
Believe, hence 200 years what will staying from Titanic. Olny a rust dune, and many gold, silver, brass, bronze, glass and porcellain fittings, maybe tiles too...(!) And the archeologists of the future in these fragments want make a ship /like in our age we make the ships of the ancient nations - in a few guns, anchors, bells, and coins - funny/

That's my opinion. /Sorry for my grammar.../

 

[steven evans]

Michael H. Standart
what I mean is 9/11 get's it's respect, look at the memorial plaques placed on the titanic wreck one was taken away if that was 9/11 people would be arrested, like ballard said taking thing's of titanic is like taking belt buckles of the arizona, we all know titanic is more looked at then other disaster but that does not make it right to go grave robbing the ship and making money from 1,500 people's death's.

titanic inc should be shot everything that has been brought to the surface should be taking back to the wreck, we all know what happened to titanic and it is about time the wreck was left alone for a while and come back in 2010 or 2012 and see the condition of the wreck, it is distasteful seeing people getting marriade on the ship paying to see the wreck, paying to have a look at the artifacts to make money for museums it is about time to leave the wreck rest in peace for at least 5 years, the wreck is not going to change very much for a few year's.

 

[Matthew Farr]

>>everything that has been brought to the surface should be taking back to the wreck<<

What useful purpose would that serve? The wreck site has already been desecrated and putting the artifacts back would not do anything to right that wrong.

I think that they have taken enough already and they should leave the rest alone. They should follow the old adage "Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints." The Only thing that they should take, if they find them, would be the Log Books.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>what I mean is 9/11 get's it's respect,<<

What you said is "pearl harbor is treated like a grave site 9/11 is treated like a grave site"

Sorry Steven but they really aren't.

>>like ballard said taking thing's of titanic is like taking belt buckles of the arizona,<<

That's his opinion and he's entitled to it, but he has no special authority on the matter.

>>titanic inc should be shot everything that has been brought to the surface should be taking back to the wreck,<<

Why?

What makes Titanic so especially especial above and beyond the call of especially especial that salvage is somehow sacrilige? Shipwrecks are salvaged and have artifacts recovered from them all the time, and nobody bats an eyelash. This includes wrecks of all ages in which people are known to have died. What distinguishes Titanic from any of them?

 

[Lajos Berínyi]

Yes, Michael H. Standart. I agree wih you in many things.

The archeologists recovered and saved artifacts in all age of history. Why must exception the modern era? On the Oseberg ship died many vikings too, and the Wasa's want many lives too, etc. And now these - and the artifacts /even pieces!/ of its sailors and warriors are in exhibition! That's not grave robbery? ///And I didn't say about the mummys of the pharaos, and many precolumbian culture/// I not agree, the "half of the ship" have to lifting out from water, but - between rational borders - I'm not oppose to this.
BUT, between rational borders...

/// I'm not live in USA, and I can't understand what does it mean for you. But I believe this. I've sawn in the TV, and I think ~WHAT? What's this film... and after I'v dawn on, this is HAPPEN, and NOW. I've been shocked. We had got a same tragedy in our nation's history ///

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>I'm not live in USA, and I can't understand what does it mean for you.<<

If you're talking about the 9-11 terrorist outrage, I can say that I was so angry that I could think of little else. On this forum, I had to back down from a Californian debate because I couldn't think rationally and I didn't want to say something I would later regret. Unlike the Mongol invasion of your country, this was an event which happened literally before my eyes on a live television feed so it wasn't some sort of historical abstract to be studied and debated. It was a personal, immidiate horror.

For all of that, I don't think of the site of the World Trade Center as "Hallowed Ground." While you really shouldn't forget these things or fail to honour the memory of those who perished, life does go on, and you can't mourn forever. In my own opinion, the best possible memorial to the victims is to rebuild and get on with our business and our lives. Let the Bad Guys know that no matter how hard they hit us, we're going to pick up the pieces and carry on in spite of what they try to do to us.

Learn the lessons and don't forget, but move on.

 

[Lajos Berínyi]

I absolutely agree. Now I understand your words. I saw the attack too /only the TV, but a few minutes after/ and I felt as if I was there.

Yes, life does go on. My keywords: "Learn into the past, live for the today, and remember to the future" /Oscar Wilde - I think.../ I live by it.

///But I feel, we are go to off-topic...///

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

I take real exception to this comment:

quote:

titanic inc should be shot everything that has been brought to the surface should be taking back to the wreck

What would be the point of doing that? Keep in mind that RMS Titanic Inc., has retrieved 6000 artifacts over the course of almost 21 years and several expeditions. This is done for scientific and educational purposes, not to make money. The artifacts that have been featured in many traveling exhibitions for several years now have educated people around the world, on the disaster. It has raised Titanic's popularity by an enormous amount; the evidence for that is the exhibits are well attended throughout their run in the respective city. People are amazed at what they learn (some have found their family member on the lists of survivors and victims) and several have become emotional. I have witnessed these things first hand.

If the artifacts had not been salvaged, they would have deteriorated and never been seen again. The artifacts are very well cared for and preserved, by people that are in specialized in the field.

What I'm saying is that, these exhibitions are very educational for people of all ages, including children. The exhibitions serve to remember the Titanic, her passengers and crew. Without the exhibits, many people would not be aware otherwise, with the exception of the movie. The Titanic community is a lot better off because of these exhibitions, in terms of research and scientific purposes. That's my opinion, but your results may vary.

quote:

the wreck is not going to change very much for a few year's.

And you can make this prediction...how exactly? Are you a scientist?

I didn't think so.

I recommend that you read up on RMS Titanic Inc., and what they do for the artifacts, before you start taking cheap shots at them. They may not be the be all and end all, but they deserve a fair hearing.​

 

[Bill Willard]

Richard,
The rogue expedition to Titanic was not rumor, but has been confirmed by several different sources. The BBC came and filmed an interview here, and I gave them copies of photographs of the rogue crew on the dock, and copies of documents that showed they were after artifacts. I have photos of a porthole, presented to the actual company who made it in the UK, to fix a broken piece. It was done in secrecy, but was found out, and confirmed by the owner of the company. It may be from this rogue expedition that the metals used for the "watches" came from.

In addition, the timing of the rogue expedition coincided TO THE DAY that RMST declared they wanted to give up salvor status in the Norfolk court. It was November, late November, and no sane oceanographer does deep water salvage in the North Atlantic during that time. Included in the documentation I've seen concerning this rogue expedition is a "catalog" listing particular pieces they wanted to recover, and prices that those pieces may fetch. This was used to solicit investors. The story was documented by a BBC show "Inside Out" about a year ago.

Tarn, I would think that supporters of George Tulloch would be quite upset if the artifacts went to Branson. John Joslyn, one of the members of the "takeover" group, made a chunk of money as a "consultant" to do nothing, then made another HUGE chunk to stop a lawsuit against his co-conspirators in the takeover. My only dealings with Mr. Joslyn was when he discussed plans to "rip large holes in the side of the hull, take a giant scoop, and rake it all out and sort through it when it gets to the top" (paraphrased) about the 2000 Expedition. Titanic Branson is good, as far as the comments I've read, but what Mr. Joslyn did removes my desire to see it.

Happy New Year to all. I should prepare a story for ET documenting the rogue expedition including the photgraphs, and the theories... then again, I may be sued again LOL.

Bill