In their golden age from the 1920s to the 1950s, ocean liners were the lifeblood of Southampton, bringing employment, industry and glamour to the city. From the early days in the 1890s to modern day cruise liners, Port Out, Southampton Home, a new major exhibition exclusive to SeaCity Museum, tells the story of these great ships and evokes the romance of sea travel and life on board.
Items on display include a wide range of rarely seen artefacts from the city’s maritime collection, including ship models, posters, photographs and ephemera from the great liners such as menu cards and souvenirs.
This will be complemented with furniture and other items from some of the famous ships that called Southampton home such as the Mauretania, Queen Mary and QE2, and you can learn about the people who travelled and worked the oceans aboard these iconic ships through letters, diaries and oral history interviews with passengers and crew.
Visitors of all ages will be entertained by engaging activities on hand, including the opportunity to dress up as a captain or steward!
Mike Harris, Service Director for Growth at Southampton City Council said: “Our new exhibition at SeaCity Museum will show how the city’s relationship with the ocean liner began and then grew in the early 20th century, and utilises items from our own extensive maritime collection.
“The city is now known as the cruise capital of Europe, with over 1.6 million people coming to Southampton each year to board these incredible ships. This is a great opportunity for visitors and local residents to discover the story behind the cruise industry, and will also highlight Southampton’s enduring relationship with the some of the world’s most famous ships”.
The exhibition runs until 4 June 2017.
