Original deckchair from RMS Titanic set to go on display at Titanic museum in Belfast

As final preparations get underway ahead of the reopening of the Titanic Museum in Belfast UTV has had an exclusive opportunity to see some of the new artefacts that will go on display.

The museum has been closed since mid January and will reopen on Saturday 4 March following a £4.5m investment.

As part of the reopening a number of original items from RMS Titanic will go on display including an original deck chair, unseen pictures and letters.

The world-famous violin belonging to the ship’s hero musician, Wallace Hartley, which has been described as one of the rarest and most iconic objects of the 20th century will also be featured.

Meanwhile, a set of keys which is from the binocular box from the ship have also been recovered.

The keys belonged to Second Officer David Blair who was reassigned just before Titanic’s maiden voyage.

Due to his hasty departure, he inadvertently kept the keys in his pocket, one of which belonged to the binocular box.

Lookout Fred Fleet, who survived, told the official inquiry that if they had binoculars, they would have seen the iceberg sooner.

When asked how much sooner, Fleet replied: ‘Enough to get out of the way.’ 

More items include a paper copy of the plan of First Class Accommodation, which was issued exclusively to First Class passengers to help them navigate the luxury liner, and belonged to Ellen Bird, the personal maid to Ida Straus, whose husband, Isidor, owned Macy’s department store in New York.

Judith Owens MBE, 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.”

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