Titanic Belfast: History, The Best Tour + Guide

A visit to Titanic Belfast is high on the list for most visitors when exploring the capital of Northern Ireland.

Located right on the slipways where RMS Titanic was designed, built and launched, the enigmatic Titanic Museum tells the now-infamous story incredibly well.

Visitors can expect exhibits, replica staterooms, photos, documents and you’ll see, hear and even SMELL the shipbuilding process during your tour!

Discover everything from how much Titanic Belfast tickets cost to what to expect from your visit below!

Some quick need-to-knows about Titanic Belfast

Although a visit to the Titanic Museum is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.

1. Location    

Titanic Belfast is in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter where it overlooks the River Lagan. It’s a 25-minute walk from both the Belfast Cathedral Quarter and St George’s Market and a 35-minute walk from Ormeau Park.

2. How long a visit takes

You’ll want to allow between 1½ – 2½ hours for the self-guided Titanic Experience while the guided Discovery Tour lasts 1-hour.

3. Admission

An adult ticket for the Titanic Experience costs around €29.60/£24.90 while an adult ticket for the Discovery Tour costs around £12.60/€15. There are other tour options that I’ll explain below.

4. Getting there

You can take the G2 Glider to and from the Titanic Quarter from the city centre. It runs every 12 – 15 minutes.

The story behind the Titanic Museum   

The Titanic is one of the most famous ships ever launched.

Designed, built and launched by Belfast’s leading shipbuilders, Harland and Wolff, it is a fascinating story that led to the epic blockbuster movie of the same name.

Sadly, the luxury liner is not remembered as being the largest ship afloat at that time, but for the disaster that unfolded during her maiden voyage

Belfast circa 1900

In the early 20th century, Belfast was buzzing with industry, particularly shipbuilding, rope-making and linen linen production (it mainly took place in the city’s Cathedral Quarter).

Around 15,000 Belfast residents were employed by the leading shipyard, Harland and Wolff, under the ambitious Chairman, Lord Pirrie.

Commissioned by White Star Line as a new luxury liner for their fast Transatlantic fleet, the RMS Titanic was the largest man-made moveable object in the world.

It had the latest refinements in luxury including a heated swimming pool, escalators, hot and cold water in each stateroom and a glittering ballroom.

A Titanic disaster

As the ship sailed out on its maiden voyage, a crew of engineers and fitters from Belfast were onboard to complete any last-minute details.

Steaming through the icy waters of Newfoundland Canada at an impressive 20 knots per hour, the Titanic struck an iceberg.

It pierced the hull and the “unsinkable” liner sank to a watery grave taking more than 1500 crew and passengers with it.

The different Titanic tours

So, there are a couple of different tours of the Titanic Museum that you can head off on, depending on what way you want to explore it.

Below, you’ll find info on a guided and a self-guided tour of the Titanic Centre (note: if you make a booking through a link below we may make a small commission which we very much appreciate).

1. Titanic Experience (self-guided)

Admission to the Titanic Experience Tour includes a self-guided tour through a series of galleries.

Surround yourself with the sights, sounds and smells of booming Belfast shipyards as you discover the social history of the people and city of Belfast.

Embrace the story of the Titanic, from plans to launch and subsequent sinking. A drama and a tragedy in this epic Titanic Experience!

2. The Discovery Tour (guided)

Follow your informative guide via a personal headset on this 1.7 mile/2.8km Discovery Tour around the historic slipways and huge Titanic Belfast building.

Along the way, learn about maritime metaphors hidden in the attraction and discover the symbolic importance of this contemporary design.

See the Drawing Offices where Thomas Andrews and his colleagues designed the Titanic. Follow the stages of construction of these Olympic class behemoths, culminating in their grand launch.

3. The White Star Premium Pass

The White Star Premium Pass offers three experiences for one price:

• The Titanic Experience
• SS Nomadic visit
• The guided Discovery Tour

 

Other things to see around the Titanic Quarter

After you’ve finished working your way around the Titanic Exhibition, there’s still plenty to see and do in the surrounding area.

Below, you’ll find info on everything from the building itself (it’s unique to say the least!) to the SS Nomadic and more.

1. The building itself

The landmark building housing the main Titanic Belfast attraction is a work of art in itself. It was designed by Todd Architects and took three years to complete at a cost of £77 million.

The four 38m-high points represent the pointed hulls on the original ship and stand the same height as the original ship.

The 5-story glass atrium has views of the docks and city. It is covered in aluminum shards which were specially designed to shimmer.

2. The SS Nomadic

Moored on the waterfront, the SS Nomadic was the tender to the RMS Titanic and is the only surviving White Star Line vessel in existence.

Admission is included in your Titanic Experience ticket.

Restored to its 1911 appearance, it has 4 decks and is a floating museum of interactive exhibits and information about life aboard the RMS Titanic.

3. The slipways

See the actual slipways down which the RMS Titanic and many other world-famous vessels have launched.

Walk the replica white stone Promenade Deck and sit on benches arranged as they would have been on Titanic’s deck.

See the positioning of the funnels and lifeboats. It’s a historic place to pause a moment and reflect in the many famous ships that have started their life on this very spot.

Things to do nearby

One of the beauties of a visit to the Titanic Museum in Belfast is that it’s a stone’s throw away from many of the best places to visit in Belfast.

Below, you’ll find everything from walks and food to St Anne’s Cathedral, lively pubs and much, much more.

1. Samson and Goliath cranes (3-minute walk): Belfast’s most famous landmark
2. St Anne’s Cathedral (25-minute walk): Located on Donegall Street, the beautiful building dates back to 1899
3. Key attractions (20-minutes+): Black Cab Tours, Crumlin Road Gaol and Cave Hill

Fancy exploring more or the area? See my guide to spending one day in Belfast or discover more things to do in Northern Ireland!