Although more than a century has passed since the sinking of the Titanic, the tragedy continues to rattle new generations who learn about it. When the 1997 movie Titanic came out, viewers grasped the size of the disaster on the big screen; they saw what was then the largest passenger ship in the world disappear beneath the surface as passengers fought for their lives. Now, a museum exhibit offers a new approach by giving visitors the chance to feel just how cold the water was on the night of the sinking.
The Titanic, which met its fate on the early morning of April 15, 1912, had over 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, of whom nearly 1,500 died. Out of the 700 survivors, as many as 81 are believed to have been pulled from the water. On top of injuries from the wreck, the frigid temperature of the northern Atlantic Ocean resulted in many losing their lives to hypothermia. According to the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the water was 28°F—just below freezing, but kept liquid by the high concentrations of sea salt.
To illustrate this fact, the Titanic Museum installed an exhibit that allows visitors to put their hands inside a container with 28ºF water. Multiple videos capture visitors trying their best, but giving up just a few seconds later. Those who held a little longer reported feeling a burning sensation on their hands.
“Hypothermia is a medical emergency when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it. As your body temperature drops, your heart, brain, and internal organs cannot function. Without aggressive resuscitation and rapid rewarming, you will ultimately not survive,” Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician, told CBS News. At 30 degrees below zero, it can set in about 10 minutes.
The Titanic Museum also provides other insightful experiences around the sinking of the Titanic, such as boarding a lifeboat and seeing printed materials from the original ship. To learn more and get tickets, visit the Titanic Museum website.
The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, has an exhibit that allows visitors to experience just how cold the water was on the night the Titanic sank.
@drunkladyadelaide Titanic Museum #titanicmuseum #titanic ♬ original sound – Lady Adelaide
The water was 28ºF— just below freezing, but kept liquid by the high concentrations of sea salt.
@zabbbeyyy Super cool part of the museum #titanicmovie #titanic #titanicmuseumattraction #titanicmuseum #feeezingcold #interesting #uniquefacts #titanicwreck #bransonmissouri #bransonmo #bransonvacation #thingstodoinbranson ♬ original sound – Zabeth Chang | Lifestyle
Multiple videos capture visitors trying their best, but giving up just a few seconds later.
@rmt2017 #fypシ゚viral #fyp #fypシ #titanicsinking #titanicmuseum ♬ original sound – Renesmé
Those who held a little longer reported feeling a burning sensation on their hands.
@courtt.knee0 #titanic #1912 #fyp ♬ original sound – ꨄ
Sources: Titanic Education Guide; How long can a person survive in sub-zero temperatures?
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