A Closer Look

Ballard saw the bow, or front, of Titanic stuck in mud. He saw cups, beds, shoes, suitcases, and other objects from the ship. It was like visiting a museum. Ballard wanted to see more, but he had run out of time and had to return home.

Titanic sank in 1912. Yet some of its windows are still unbroken.

In 1986, Ballard came back to the ship. This time, he traveled down to the wreck, riding in a submersible, which is an underwater craft. He brought a deep-sea robot that was able to look inside the ship.

Saving the Past

As Ballard explored Titanic, he took pictures of the shipwreck. He did not take anything away, though. He left things just as they were. Each object helps to tell the sad story of Titanic.

This robot took underwater pictures of Titanic.