Why is it important to recover and conserve artifacts from the Titanic s wreck site?
The bottom of the deep ocean is a hostile environment. Over time, man-made objects will be consumed by bacteria, abraded by sediments and corroded by salt and acids. Even the ship itself is slowly being destroyed by iron-eating microorganisms and will one day collapse on the ocean floor. Artifacts that are not recovered from the wreck site will eventually be lost. RMST is committed to recovering, conserving and exhibiting artifacts from the Titanic s wreck site to help preserve the physical memory of the ship and the people who perished in the disaster. Through these activities, people all over the world have the opportunity to see and touch three-dimensional objects that bore witness to the sinking and gain new insights into the human dimensions of the tragedy. In 1985, Robert Ballard, co-discoverer of the Titanic s wreck, made clear to Congress his support of artifact recovery. In his congressional testimony, Ballard stated: “Since many beautiful artifacts lie outside the ship itself
