S C I L ' s Travel Club August 2022 Virtual Christmas in Branson, Missouri - PART 4

The titanic Museum attraction - Branson, Missouri

Owner John Joslyn

“The Titanic Museum Attraction is a celebration of the ship and her passengers and crew.” said John Joslyn, co-owner of the Titanic Museum Attraction. “Every day the Titanic Museum honors each and every one of them by telling their stories and bringing them to life for our guests. Our visitors truly experience what it was like onboard the Titanic.”

Did you know?

Since its April 2006 grand opening, the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson has welcomed more than 2,700,000 guests.

Did You Know?

Both the 'RMS' Titanic & the 'RMS' Olympic were commissioned to carry and handle mail from the British Royal Mail Service giving them the title of Royal Mail Ship or 'RMS.'

Inside the Titanic Museum Attraction, visitors find full-size re-creations (built from actual Titanic blueprints) of Third-Class quarters, a First-Class suite, dining rooms, and – the museum’s centerpiece – a $1 million exact reproduction of the Titanic’s Forward Grand Staircase.

The Grand Staircase

The Grand Staircase Dome

Did You Know?

There were actually two first-class section grand staircases constructed on the RMS Titanic, and her sister ship, the RMS Olympic. It is believed that the staircases in both ships were identical as the two ships were built at nearly the same time. The Forward Grand Staircase was located towards the front of the ship and the Aft Grand Staircase was located farther back towards the rear of the ship.

Please Note:

No known photos exist of the Titanic's Grand Staircases. It is believed that the Belfast ship builder, Harland and Wolff, saw no reason to photograph the Titanic's interiors since they had already gone through this expense of photographing her virtual twin, the RMS Olympic.

THE Titanic's famous GRAND STAIRCASE Cherub

Meals on the Titanic

sTATEROOMS & cABINS

Did you know?

There were 840 staterooms in all, 416 in First Class, 162 in Second Class, and 262 in Third Class.

Even the cheapest cabin on the Titanic was higher than one on any other ship. So, you can very well imagine how expensive a first-class ticket would be! In 1912, the most expensive ticket on this ship cost $2,560 --- which would be $61,000 in today's money!

The most splendid First-Class accommodation on both the Titanic and the Olympic were the four parlor suites on B and C Decks. which had two large bedrooms, two walk-in closets, a private bathroom, and a spacious sitting room where the passengers could entertain guests. Each sitting room had a fireplace, a small dining table, plush sofas & chairs, 'sideboards,' writing desks and were 'lavishly' decorated.

The two Parlor Suites on B Deck were advertised at "Deluxe" Parlor Suites, or Promenade Suites because they each contained a 50 foot private promenade deck.

The First-Class suite in the Titanic Museum Attraction, which is dedicated to Isidor and Ida Straus, who co-owned Macy’s Department Stores, was also the stateroom used as 'Rose’s Suite' in James Cameron’s blockbuster movie Titanic.

The Straus' suite (C-55 and C-57) was the most 'opulent' suite on the ship. It was one of four Parlor Suites which included one bedroom, two closets, a private bathroom, and a sitting room with a fireplace, that was decorated in the Regency style.

The bedroom (C-57) was Empire Style. We know that the room survived the sinking intact, but it's not intact anymore.

In 2006, James Cameron went on a deep sea dive and sent cameras into the Straus' suite. He had a hard time getting to it, but he found the dark wood paneling still there along with gold 'inlays,' the fireplace, and the clock still sitting upright on the mantle. However, the bedrooms have collapsed and there's no getting to them.

Most of the Second Class Cabins were very similar to each other. They were very cozy and comfortable with a mahogany bunk bed, a sofa that turned into a bed, two closets, and dual sinks with fold-down top that converted the unit into a table or desk. Second class cabins also had a 'steward' call bell to ring for service.

Men stayed in the forward (front part of the ship) cabins while women and families would have been accommodated in the aft (rear part of the ship). Simple in design, but clean and comfortable, with washbasin with a fresh water tank above. These tanks would be refilled daily by the stewards.

Did You Know?

THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF THE TITANIC

Both the RMS Titanic and the RMS Olympics' interiors were designed by Aldam, Heaton, & Co. --- who had previously worked on other White Star Line vessels ---- along with the same teams of craftsmen and 'artisans,'

First Class Accommodation provided 39 private suites. The most expensive and exclusive staterooms were each decorated in different styles including Louis XVI, Louis XV, Regency, Empire, Georgian, and Queen Anne. First Class also held 350 less expensive cabins with single beds.

The Captain's Quarters were located on the Boat Deck near the bridge. The room was decorated in oak panels, with a large bookcase and two closets, an 'Axminster' carpet, and oak furniture. Captain Smith would have used this room as an office, as well as to relax and entertain guests. The room contained a 'Magneta' clock, and a barometer in an oak wall case.

The First Class Barber Shop was located on C Deck, just off the Aft Grand Staircase. The shop was open between 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM. The barber, Augustus Weikman, was permanently on staff who offered shampooing, shaving, and hairdressing services for 1 shilling or $0.25 each (That's $7.64 in today's money). Here gentlemen could come get a trim and a shave before dinner. It also acted as a gift shop. First class had a similar barber shop on C deck.

The Titanic Honor and Glory video game takes you aboard the RMS Titanic to travel back in time to 1912, aboard the RMS Titanic. is currently being developed by Vintage Digital Revival. They are committed to recreate the entire RMS Titanic in stunning visual and historical detail, as demonstrated by the amazing illustrations above.

Did You Know?

Aldam, Heaton, & Co. also did the interior design for the homes of White Star Line chairman J. Bruce Ismay and his family.

Joseph Bruce Ismay, the chairman of the White Star Line, occupied one of the lavish 'Deluxe Parlor Suites', with a private promenade deck, on B Deck (B-52 / B-54 / B-56). The sitting room was decorated in the Louis XVI style with walnut and sycamore paneling. VERY FANCY!

DID YOU KNOW?

THE GRAND STAIRCASE FLOORING

Did You Know?

You might be surprised to find out that linoleum floor tiles were used on the Titanic. The reason for this was, while linoleum looks similar to marble, it is far less likely to get scuffed or scratched. In fact, in 1912, linoleum was considered such a luxury product it was even more expensive than marble!

captian david E. Parker

John and Mary Joslyn, the owners of the Titanic Museum, believe James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster film, 'Titanic' introduced an entire new generation to the ship’s story. The museum is often visited by people who, having seen the movie, are fascinated with the history of the RMS Titanic.

JAMES CAMERON'S 'TITANIC' (1997)

'Titanic' is the 1997 epic romance and disaster film directed, written, produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. He incorporated both historical and fictionalized aspects, based on accounts of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated maiden voyage.

Characters based on real people

JOSEPH BRUCE ISMAY

Joseph Bruce Ismay was considered one of the most prominent ship owners in the world. As chairman and managing director of the White Star line he was the highest-ranking White Star official to survive the sinking of the company's new flagship RMS Titanic.

MARGARET BROWN

DID YOU KNOW?

The real Margaret Brown is now known to history as the 'Unsinkable Molly Brown' for her actions on the night of April 15, 1912. Like in the movie, Margaret ended up in Lifeboat No. 6, and did encourage the real Hichens to go back and search for survivors. And, just like in the film, Hitchens refused because he believed the people in the water would overwhelm the lifeboat and cause it to sink. Once the Carpathia rescued her lifeboat, Margaret helped console other passengers and distributed extra blankets and supplies to survivors. By the time the Carpathia reached New York harbor, she had helped establish the Survivor’s Committee and had raised almost $10,000 for survivors of the Titanic disaster.

Captain Edward Smith

Did You Know?

The Titanic was under the command of 62-year-old Edward Smith, who had 40 years of experience. The maiden voyage on the Titanic was supposed to be Captain Smith’s last assignment before his retirement. Despite Titanic radio operators receiving warnings about icebergs from other ships, Smith did not issue a decrease in speed. There are many conflicting reports about Smith’s final moments before the ship went down and we will never really know how he met his end as his body was never recovered.

Thomas andrews

DID YOU KNOW?

The real Thomas Andrews was the chief designer of the Titanic. He had argued for more lifeboats to be on the ship as well as for better safety measures. If his proposal had been accepted, there would have been enough lifeboats on the ship for everyone. Like in the movie, Andrews was reportedly last seen in the first-class smoking room. However, other reports claimed he was on deck throwing chairs to those in the water. Thomas Andrews’s body was never recovered.

Charles joughin

DID YOU KNOW?

The real Charles Joughin was one of Titanic’s most unlikely survivors. He was the chief baker on the RMS Titanic. On the night of the sinking, preparing for the worst, Joughin drank as much whiskey as possible. And, like in the movie when Joughin was on the other side of the railing with Rose and Jack as the ship was vertical and being sucked into the sea, the real Charles Joughin actually did hang onto the rails while it was vertically sticking up in the air. After the ship sank, Joughin treaded water for two hours until the HMS Carpathia saved him. Joughin survived because he was the last person to leave the Titanic and therefore spent less time in the freezing cold water. and was able to survive for so long in the icy water was because of the alcohol he consumed which gave him a false sense of warmth.

John Jacob Aster

DID YOU KNOW?

John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest passenger aboard the Titanic. Initially, John Jacob Astor was skeptical of the necessity of getting into a lifeboat, saying, “we are safer here than in that little boat.” However, by 1:45am, he had changed his mind and helped his pregnant wife into Lifeboat 4. He asked if he could join her in the lifeboat, due to her “delicate condition” but ultimately, he would perish in the disaster. His body was recovered on April 22, 1912.

Countess of Rothes

Lucy Noel Martha Dyer-Edwards, also known as the Countess of Rothes, had a minor role in James Cameron’s Titanic but in reality the Countess found herself in Lifeboat 8 and ended up helping to command the boat. She was handed the tiller, which enabled her to steer clear of the sinking liner. She also assisted in rowing her lifeboat to the Carpathia, all while comforting others and trying to keep the morale high.

Archibald Gracie the 4th

In the movie Titanic, we last see Colonel Archibald Gracie offering to escort Rose to find more lifeboats. In real life, after all the lifeboats were gone, the Colonel went to the rear of the ship and when it sank he was pulled with it but managed to made it back to the surface and swam to upturned Collapsible Lifeboat B and balanced on it in knee-deep water with around 30 other men. By the time the Carpathia arrived, the Colonel had hypothermia. Unfortunately, his health never recovered, and he passed away on December 4, 1912.

Benjamin Guggenheim

The last time we see Benjamin Guggenheim in the Titanic movie he is sitting in a chair, drinking a glass of brandy, in the Forward Grand Staircase as it's flooding. Accounts of the real Guggenheim’s final moments are similar to that . After the Titanic hit the iceberg, Guggenheim changed into his finest evening wear, as did his valet Mr. Giglio. He was heard saying, “We’ve dressed in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen.” The difference between life and the movie was Benjamin Guggenheim didn't die inside the ship at the Grand Staircase, he was actually last seen on Titanic’s deck watching lifeboats being lowered into the North Atlantic ocean.

Isador & Ida Straus

Isidor Straus was the co-owner of the Macy’s department store. While women and children were being put into lifeboats, Ida accepted a spot in a lifeboat, thinking that Isador would follow her. The officer did offer him a spot on the lifeboat but he wouldn't accept it saying, “No thank you, sir. Not until I see that every woman and child on board this ship is in a lifeboat.” Ida gave up her spot on the lifeboat, telling Isidor, “Where you go, I go.” Isidor’s body was later recovered, but Ida’s was never found.

Wallace Henry Hartley

One of the most famous stories from the sinking of the Titanic was about the band playing throughout the disaster right up until the very end. Wallace Henry Hartley was a violinist and the bandleader responsible for the music on the RMS Titanic

Fifth Officer Harold Lowe

In the movie, Fifth Officer Harold Lowe is the only officer that went back to save survivors from the shipwreck. He is the officer who saved Rose from the freezing waters in the final scenes of the movie. The real Fifth Officer Harold Lowe was only 29 when the Titanic sank, and as in the movie, he was the only Titanic officer to go back and rescue people. In total, Lowe rescued four men from the water, but only three survived.

first officer william M. Murdoch

After the collision, the thirty-nine year-old, First Officer William Murdoch was put in charge of the starboard evacuation (which is the right side of the ship) during which he launched ten lifeboats. In the movie, Murdoch was portrayed shooting passengers and then himself during the sinking. This was based on a number of eyewitness testimonies of a shooting/suicide by an officer during the launching of the last lifeboat. It is possible that Murdoch was the officer but there is no evidence to prove that. What is known is that First Officer William McMaster Murdoch perished in the sinking of the Titanic and his body was never recovered.

RMS TITANIC FACTS

Did you know?

RMS Titanic was built at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1909. it took three years to complete.

The ship was 175 feet tall (the boat deck was 60 feet above the waterline), 882 feet 9 inches long, weighed 46,328 tons, had nine decks, and had four 'funnels' (three of the smokestacks carried smoke out from the furnaces and the fourth one ventilated the kitchens),

When the RMS Titanic set sail on its doomed maiden voyage on April 14, 1912, it was the world’s largest man-made moving object!

DID YOU KNOW?

The Titanic hit an iceberg at 11:40 PM in the evening of April 14, 1912 at a speed of 20.5 knots (23.6 miles per hour). The iceberg scraped along the right side of the 'hull' below the waterline, slicing the ship open between five connecting watertight compartments. It took about 2 hours and 40 minutes for the Titanic to disappear beneath the surface of the ocean. By 2:20 AM on the morning of April 15th the luxury liner was gone.

DID YOU KNOW?

On September 1, 1985, seventy-three years after it sank, a joint U.S.- French expedition locates the wreck of the RMS Titanic on the North Atlantic ocean floor about 400 miles east of Newfoundland about 13,000 feet below the surface.

DID YOU KNOW?

The exact number of people who died when the RMS Titanic sunk is unknown. Original passenger and crew lists were inaccurate due to factors such as misspellings, omissions, aliases, and failure to count musicians and other contracted employees. According to the U.S. Committee investigating the sinking determined that 1,517 lives were lost, and the British Committee investigating determined that 1,503 died. The crew suffered the most casualties, with about 700 fatalities. Third class also suffered greatly, as only 174 of the approximately 710 Third Class passengers survived.

DID YOU KNOW?

There were 29 triple-furnace coal-fired boilers powering the Titanic. 25 of them were double-ended with 6 furnaces each. There were a total of 162 coal burning furnaces ablaze when all the boilers were operational.

There were 6,611 tons of coal stored in the ship’s bunkers. 825 tons of coal were used daily. 100 tons of ash was dumped into the ocean each day.

As we enter the museum lobby, it's like stepping back in time to 1912! We are greeted by a crew member named Nancy, who's dressed like a first class maid and is super friendly!

We are given a 'boarding pass' to become a passenger aboard the Titanic. We navigate through the 'iceberg' entrance into the museum.

CHRISTMAS AT THE TITANIC MUSEUM

During the holidays, visitors truly get to experience what Christmas would have been like on the world’s most luxurious ocean liner.

They spent a whopping $100,000 on Christmas trees, carolers, holiday lights, and decorations! The museum was festive both inside and out!

Crew members are trained for three months and become knowledgeable about the stories they pass on to visitors. Dressed in period-specific clothing, they are stationed in different parts of the museum.

As soon as we step through the iceberg entrance we see a huge model of the RMS Titanic. This scale model was built exclusively for the Titanic Museum exhibit by German designer Peter Davies-Garner from original blueprints and drawings from shipbuilders Harland & Wolff.

We were able to see what it was like on the RMS Titanic by experiencing it first-hand!

Did You Know?

Located on E Deck, 'Scotland Road' was a long corridor that gave crew members and third class passengers easy access between the front and the back of the ship. The name 'Scotland Road' was given as a nickname by the crew because many were from Liverpool, and they named it after the main street in the city.

did You Know?

Just before midnight on April 14, 1912 the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg which tore into at least five of its lower compartments. These compartments filled with water and pulled down the front of the ship. Because the Titanic‘s compartments were not sealed at the top, water from the flooded compartments filled each compartment next to them, causing the front of the ship to sink and the back of the ship to be raised up to an almost 'vertical' position above the water. Then the Titanic broke in half, and, at about 2:20 a.m. on April 15, both halves of the Titanic sank to the bottom of the ocean.

Did You know?

'SOS' was chosen as a distress signal because it was easy to understand in 'Morse Code' and not likely to be confused with other signals. The letters don't actually stand for anything in particular. Although people often say 'Save Our Ship' would be good 'acronym' for it.

Did You Know?

The Titanic had its own daily newspaper called the Atlantic Daily News, created with a mini printing press. It featured everything from news and society gossip to information on how to rent deckchairs. Every night during the first watch, wireless operator, Jack Phillips, would copy down the Marconi news service broadcast. Phillips would the send his copy down to the Purser’s Office. The purser (or one of his assistants) would type out the newspaper articles on a single sheet called the Atlantic Daily News.

On September 1, 1985, a joint U.S.- French expedition located the wreck of the Titanic lying on the ocean floor at a depth of about 13,000 feet.

Did You Know?

The iceberg that sank the Titanic in 1912 was estimated to be 400 feet in length and raised up 100 feet above the ocean's surface at the time of the impact. According to Grant Bigg from UK's Sheffield University, the iceberg had been melting into the water for months prior to the incident and originally was an estimated 1,700 feet long when it broke off from the southwest Greenland coast.

Molly & Carter

A highlight of our visit to the Titanic Museum Attraction was meeting Molly & Carter --- the two King Charles Spaniels crew members. They were named for first-class passengers who survived and were rescued by the Carpathia. Molly is named for Margaret "Molly" Brown and Carter is named for the William Ernest Carter family. Mr. Carter, his wife, and two children survived, but their two dogs were lost.

You might have noticed that Molly and Carter are wearing 'replicas' of the 'Heart of the Ocean' necklace from the 1997 film, Titanic.

In the movie, the necklace was given to Rose DeWitt Bukater by Caledon 'Cal' Hockley aboard the Titanic as a wedding gift. However, Rose fell in love with a penniless artist (Jack Dawson) and she and Cal were never married. After the Titanic sank, Rose survived and had the 'Heart of the Ocean' with her. Eighty-three years later, when Jack's drawing of Rose is discovered in the wreckage of the Titanic, the 100-year-old Rose returns to tell her story. She lets go of the past and drops the 'Heart of the Ocean' overboard.

Did You Know?

There actually was a blue sapphire pendant on the RMS Titanic when it sank. It was given to passenger Kate Florence Phillips by Henry Samuel Morley, who was leaving his wife to start a new life with Kate in America. Kate was wearing the necklace when the Titanic sank, and escaped in Lifeboat No. 11. Sadly, Morley perished in the sinking and it is believed that this tragic love story was the inspiration for James Cameron's film.

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RMS Titanic's 'Canine' Passengers

Twelve dogs were known to be among the passengers on that fateful maiden voyage including:

a King Charles Spaniel, two Pomeranians, a Chow, a French Bulldog, a Pekingese, several dogs whose breed remains unknown, Some dogs were boarded in kennels; others traveled in first class suites.

Fact or 'Fiction'

On April 20, 1912, five days after the Titanic sank, the SS Bremen left Bremen for New York City and passed through the debris field left by the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Passengers on the German vessel said that they saw the body of a woman in the water with her arms frozen around the neck of a large dog. The body was not retrieved so there was no evidence of the report.

survivors

Four dogs and a canary were reported to have survived the sinking.

One was a Pekingese named Sun-Yat Sen owned by Henry Sleeper Harper of the Harper and Row Publishing Company. Harper, his wife, Myra, and Sun-Yat survived, by getting into Lifeboat 3.

Pomeranian pup named Lady, who belonged to Margaret Bechstein Hays, survived along with her owner, in Lifeboat 7. Hays had purchased Lady in Paris and was taking her home to New York City. Lady was wrapped in a blanket and the crew allowed Hays to board the lifeboat with her, thinking it was a baby. From then on, Hays took Lady everywhere with her, even the opera.

Another Pomeranian owned by Martin and Elizabeth Jane Rothschild. Mrs. Rothschild hid the dog until the following morning when those on Lifeboat 6 were rescued by the RMS Carpathia. At first the crew wouldn't bring the dog on board, but Mrs. Rothschild refused to get out of the lifeboat until they agreed to let her keep her dog. Mr. Rothschild sadly didn’t survive the shipwreck.

First Officer William Murdoch (who went down with the ship) had his Newfoundland named Rigel on board with him. Rigel managed to survive in the water and his barking alerted the crew of the Carpathia to the location of lifeboat 4. Rigel was taken aboard the rescuing ship and adopted by a crewman.

Today a new exhibit at the Titanic Museum Attraction honors the dogs that perished on the Titanic–and the four that survived (the two Pomeranians, the Pekingese, and the Newfoundland). The exhibit offers dog lovers the chance to hear true tales about the Titanic’s first class canines and learn more about their owners.

Molly and Carter, the Titanic Museum Attractions' King Charles Spaniels crew members, serves as the museum mascots. They greet visitors during the sounding of the ship’s horn at noon daily. Both dogs were trained by the owners of 'How to Talk Dog' in Greensburg, Kentucky.

DID YOU KNOW?

CAPTAIN LOWELL LYTLE

The Titanic Memorial Room & survivors' wall of stories

In the Titanic Memorial Room, a list of 2,208 names of the passengers and crew that were on the Titanic when it hit the iceberg. This is where we found out the fate of the person on our Boarding Pass.

If they were a survivor, we could see what happened to them after they were rescued by the RMS Carpathia on the Survivors' Wall of Stories.

Millvina Dean, the last survivor

Millvina Dean, was the youngest of the ship’s 705 survivors. She was only 9 weeks old when the Titanic hit an iceberg in what was then considered the greatest maritime disaster in history. She was lowered into a lifeboat in a canvas mail sack and together with her mother, Georgetta, and 2-year-old brother, were picked up by the RMS Carpathia and taken to New York.