Builder's model of the Olympic/ Titanic, 1912
This 20 foot long model is one of the star exhibits at Merseyside Maritime Museum. It was built in 1910 as the unique, full-hull, builder’s model of the Liverpool-based White Star Line’s two world famous sister ships. Completed as an internally-lit model in a magnificently ornate display case, it underwent a number of changes while owned by White Star.
For example, two years after the Titanic disaster in 1914 it was substantially altered to represent the third ‘Olympic class’ ship, Britannic, at the Anglo-American Exposition at the White City, London.
The model, shown during conservation treatment with the funnels removed
In the early 1920s it was altered again to represent Olympic alone, since Britannic had been sunk while serving as a hospital ship during the First World War. The model was exhibited as Olympic at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924 and then, in 1926, at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool.
The model was donated to National Museums Liverpool in 1951. In 1982, its condition having deteriorated badly over the years, it was restored as Titanic for the Merseyside Maritime Museum, however, it still retains some features of both Olympic and Britannic.
Find out about plans to conserve the model in a special feature in the Ship and historic models conservation section of the website.
Accession number 51.36