Though 113 years have passed since the Titanic sank in the northern Atlantic Ocean, fascination with the ship and its tragic demise lives on.
Now, Utahns have the opportunity to feed their fascination with one of history’s most infamous disasters as The Titanic Exhibition opens Friday at the Shops at South Town in Sandy. Creators say the traveling exhibit allows visitors to step back in time and experience this piece of early 20th-century history firsthand.
“People come with so much information from different sources. With Titanic, some folks have studied that, whether it’s in books or documentaries or turning to the experts ... and then there are those who only saw James Cameron’s film and find it fascinating," said Mark Lach, creative producer for the exhibit.
A ‘labor of love’
The British ocean liner was traveling from Southampton, England, to New York City when it hit an iceberg nearly 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland on April 14, 1912. The collision tore a hole in the side of the ship, causing it to fill with water and eventually sink in the early morning hours of the following day. It’s estimated that 1,500 people died in the disaster.
Lach has been involved with this educational exhibition for more than 25 years; his connection to the Titanic is not just professional, but deeply personal. He describes his passion as a “labor of love” and has acquired a vast knowledge of the ship, its passengers and stories behind its artifacts throughout his career.
What sets Lach apart is his unique experience with the ship. In 2000, he joined the last artifact dive to the final resting place of Titanic, traveling 2.5 miles beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean to experience the shipwreck firsthand.
“When those lights came up and there was the bow of the Titanic, it was off-the-charts exciting — but very emotional as well,” Lach recalled.
That unique experience shaped his approach to every exhibition he curates. “Because of that experience, I think it gives you a sense of responsibility to put together an experience that honors the legacy of all those on board,” he said.
Utah’s Titanic tie
During his time in Utah, Lach visited Payson, which was home to the only Titanic passenger from Utah. Irene Corbett, a schoolteacher and nurse, was 30 years old and on her way home to Utah when she perished in the maritime disaster.
“She was a very strong, ambitious, loving, giving woman,” Lach said. “She was lost in the sinking, but her story lives on here.”
Corbett’s love of knowledge and people led her to London to study midwifery. In the winter of 1911, she left her husband and children behind to attend “a six-month training program at London’s Lying-In Hospital,” the St. George News reported.
“It would have been hard for her to leave, but she wanted to do it all,” Liz Corbett Plumb, Corbett’s great-granddaughter, told the news outlet. “She wanted to be a nurse, she wanted to study, she wanted to be a mother, she wanted to be a good wife. She tried to do it all, but sadly, it ended tragically.”
Her journey home on board the Titanic as a second-class citizen would have promised her a seat on a lifeboat. Although there are no firsthand accounts, her reputation led her loved ones to believe she stayed on board to help people as the ship was sinking.
Immersed in the story of Titanic
One of the highlights of the Titanic exhibit is a replica of the grand staircase that was on board the Titanic, a duplicate of the one seen throughout the James Cameron film. The replica is an exact match in size and scale, from the number of stairs to the clock.
The presence of the stairs is inspired by the film, Lach explained, as it gives visitors something they recognize and have fun with.
“Many times people will say, ‘Oh, it looks just like the one in the film!’” he said. “Of course, the one in the film looks like the real one, so I think it’s important to take them on a journey.”
Ticket holders can expect the chronicle story of Titanic, including recreations of staterooms and corridors, personal stories of passengers and crew, personal artifacts, a virtual reality dive to the wreck site, an audio tour with commentary and image galleries throughout the exhibit.
The Titanic Exhibition will be open through the holidays and possibly longer depending on demand. But Lach issues a stark warning: “Don’t wait. When we closed in Dallas, people were still trying to get in on the last day.”