The 100th anniversary of the Titanic

On April 10, 1912, the White Star Line’s RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton, England, for New York Harbor. When the ship hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic four days later and sank on April 15, the city buzzed with anticipation for the arrival of survivors. “The loss of the Titanic turned New York City on its ear,” says maritime historian John Maxtone-Graham. One hundred years later, the ill-fated liner still fascinates—why else would have James Cameron rereleased a 3-D version of 1997 epic romance, Titanic, this month? For looks at the disaster without the cheesy Celine Dion song, we’ve gathered five events that will keep the craze afloat.

“Titanic at 100: Myth and Memory”
The South Street Seaport Museum separates fact from fiction in this exhibition comparing historical documents with pop-culture depictions of the sinking. Letters, photographs and transcriptions of Titanic’s Mayday calls tell the stories of ship captain E.J. Smith, chief officer Henry Wilde and White Star managing director Bruce Ismay. Posters from the first iteration of Cameron’s Titanic and the 1958 movie A Night to Remember, as well as items used in an upcoming four-part ABC miniseries about the tragedy, show the voyage’s influence on films and TV. Melville Gallery, 213 Water St between Beekman and Fulton Sts (212-748-8600, seany.org). Wed–Sun 10am–6pm; $5, children under 9 free. Through May 15.

Titanic Tales: Stories of Courage and Cowardice
Columbia professor Duncan McCargo and cellist Stephanie Winters add to the storied ship’s musical legacy with this world premiere. The show’s script mines the official testimony survivors gave to U.S. and British authorities. Unlike the 1997 Tony Award–winning musical Titanic or 1964 movie The Unsinkable Molly Brown, this performance incorporates a selection of era-specific popular songs, ragtime tunes and light classical fare, as played by the ship’s band. David Rubenstein Atrium (at Lincoln Center), 61 W 62nd St at Columbus Ave (212-875-5456, lincolncenter.org/atrium). Thu 12 at 8:30pm; free.

Titanic-themed walking tours
Since the famous vessel was bound for New York City, its final destination is rife with reminders of the ship’s history. Municipal Art Society’s Downtown at the Time of the Titanic tour visits Steamship Row near Bowling Green and White Star’s former headquarters. Meanwhile, NYC Discovery Tours will guide people past the pier where Titanic would have docked; the childhood home of John Jacob Astor, one of the ship’s most famous victims; and the Seaman’s Lodge, where survivors took shelter upon their return. Locations disclosed with R.S.V.P. • Municipal Art Society (212-935-2075, mas.org/tours). Sun 15 at 11am; $20, MAS members $15. • NYC Discovery Tours (212-465-3331). Sat 14 at 1pm, Sun 15 at noon; $20.

The Drowned Ball
Experience what travel might have been like aboard the Titanic—with a much happier ending—at this party hosted by impresarios Gemini & Scorpio. Revelers will be divided like passengers: Buy first- or second-class luxury tickets, and you’ll sip complimentary champagne and dance to Strauss melodies played by the Golden Angel Waltz Orchestra. If stomping away to folk tunes is more your style, then head to “steerage” on a lower level (the upper classes can also dip in for a rowdier time). Either way, make sure to dress the part of a belle epoque passenger or a sea monster visiting the wreck. And don’t be alarmed when a virtual iceberg—created through video projections and art installations—strikes. Zanger Hall, 347 W 34th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves (geminiandscorpio.com/events). Apr 21 9pm–3am; $35–105, advance $25–$95.

100 Years Later: Little Known and New Facts About R.M.S. Titanic
Woodlawn Cemetery is the final resting place of more Titanic passengers than any other graveyard in the U.S. Widener University professor emeritus Joseph J. Edgette leads a tour past all 12 during which he’ll recount the life of each traveler. Stops include the graves of Macy’s owner Isidor Straus, who drowned on the ship, and Harper & Brothers publishing house director Henry Sleeper Harper, who survived the ordeal along with his wife, Myra, and dog Sun Yat Sen. Meet at the Woolworth Chapel, Woodlawn Cemetery, Webster Ave and E 233rd St, Bronx (718-920-1470, thewoodlawncemetery.org). Apr 29 1–4pm; $15, seniors and students $10.

“Titanic—12,450 Feet Below”
Oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard, who discovered Titanic’s wreckage in 1985, teams up with former Disney Imagineer Tim Delaney to create replicas of the iconic vessel in this long-running exhibit. Displays show off the ship’s cutting-edge technology and luxurious design. You’ll also be able to see models of the iceberg that sunk it, and the boat’s current state on the floor of the North Atlantic, along with soundscapes and digital imagery. Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Blvd at Queen’s Chapel Road, Mystic, CT (860-572-5955, mysticaquarium.org). Daily 9am–5pm; $29, seniors $26, children 3-17 $21, children 2 and under free. Thu 12—Mar 2013.

“RMS Titanic: The Exhibit”
In 1984, Long Island City resident Joe Colletti started filling his home with movie posters and other memorabilia associated with the Titanic. Now his personal collection is a trove of artifacts and interviews Colletti conducted with the ship’s survivors. See photographs depicting the ship’s construction in progress in Belfast, Ireland, the crew and passengers onboard, and the rescue of its survivors. Greater Astoria Historical Society, Quinn Building, 35–20 Broadway between 35th and 36th Sts, fourth floor, Long Island City, Queens (718-278-0700, astorialic.org). Mon-Fri 9am–7pm, Sat–Sun 9am–5pm; free. Through May 15.

The Sinking of the Titanic
Gavin Bryars’s The Sinking of the Titanic takes its inspiration from a survivor account that the ship’s musicians played “Autumn” (an Episcopal hymn) as the vessel was going down. The 1969 composition models a part for strings on the historic tune, then weaves into the piece audio clips of interviews with survivors, Morse code tapped out on woodblocks and noises mimicking the ship’s hull collapsing. Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St at Thompson St (212-505-3474, lepoissonrouge.com). Sun 15 at 6:30pm, 9:30pm; $20–$30.