The Titanic, Lusitania and the Forgotten Empress gallery tells the stories of three of the most famous and most tragic ships in history. Their names were Titanic, Lusitania and Empress of Ireland. Each was a proud symbol of Edwardian Britain. Each had strong links with Liverpool and its people.

In the early 1900s Liverpool was at the height of its prestige and influence. From the Pier Head you could see many of the biggest and finest passenger liners in the world. In the warm glow of the city’s 700th birthday celebrations in 1907 the future looked brighter than ever for the port and people of Liverpool.

They say that disasters come in threes. The sinking of the Titanic, Lusitania and Empress of Ireland all happened within three years, 1912 to 1915. Each was a major world event. Their combined effect on the port and people of Liverpool was devastating. In some ways, they marked the end of Liverpool’s Edwardian heyday. However, the damage they did to Liverpool was nothing compared to that caused by the First World War.

Some of the highlights from the collections, including the original 20 foot long builder’s model of the Titanic and a survivor’s lifejacket from the ill-fated ship, are on this website.

The Merseyside Maritime Museum also hosts regular free spotlight talks and roleplayer performances about the Titanic. Further details and upcoming dates can be found on the website link to ‘Titanic events programme’.