Overview
- The museum’s Titanic gallery took on water following Tuesday night’s strong thunderstorms, in what staff discovered Wednesday morning on the 114th anniversary of the sinking.
- Employees moved fast to shield displays, including period clothing, art and more than $6 million in vehicles once owned by passengers such as John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim and Lady Duff Gordon.
- Early checks found no foundation cracks, broken pipes, roof leaks or clear entry point, and officials have not identified a cause or shared a full damage estimate.
- The museum’s Facebook post called it the second flood in three years, while leaders told CBS and ABC it is only the second in over 40 years with the first during the exhibit’s opening year.
- The gallery is Illinois’ only permanent Titanic exhibit and features White Star Line pieces and other artifacts, which raises stakes for preservation work and future visitation.