Here’s part 2 of my Belfast trip, which is all about the Titanic Quarter – the shipyard and docks where Titanic was built, now redeveloped as a tourist hotspot. Above is Titanic Belfast, which hosts the main exhibition – it’s a really cool building to look at (and the same height as the actual Titanic!).
This is the Nomadic, the last surviving White Star Line ship. You can tour this as well I think. I just did the main exhibition, but I didn’t take any photos. It’s 75% about how Titanic was built and the whole shipbuilding industry in Belfast and includes a ride around a virtual shipyard to see how everything was done. There’s also smaller sections about the interior, the passengers, the sinking and the finding of the wreck. There’s a fun area where you stand surrounded by screens that make it look like you’re on a lift going up through all the different floors, and some recreations of different classes of cabins. They also have a reproduction of the main staircase but it’s not open to the public, just for special events, which seems a bit mean. I think you’d have to be really into the Titanic to spend a lot of time here – if you are there’s loads of archive material for the plans and passengers. I found it all interesting enough for an hour or so.
Outside they have an area which has poles and markings to show the size of the ship and rooms and things. It was crazy windy so I didn’t stay out long. You can also see the shipyard and docks and you can tour all that as well separately.
The main reason I was here though, was for the Game of Thrones exhibition. It’s been touring around the world all year and Belfast was the last stop. It includes costumes and props from all 3 seasons and everything is amazingly detailed. There was also a few videos and an interactive game where you get to be an archer in the Battle of Blackwater. The whole thing was pretty small, and probably not that interesting to non-fans but, as someone who read the books a long long time ago, it was really cool to see it all come to life.
And they had a replica of the Iron Throne! I’m one step closer to being evil dictator of the world. (Thanks random stranger next in line for taking this photo for me)
I hope you enjoyed reading about my Belfast adventures. I am definitely going to go back sometime – it hardly takes any time to fly there and the airport is really close to the city centre.
