The mueseum tells the story of emigration from Ireland in the past two centuries and also all about the Titanic and Lusitania ships and their ill fated journeys. It also tells of Cobhs connections to the American people and the plight of many a family who went stateside over the past two hundered years.
Located outside the Cobh Heritage Centre is the statue of Annie Moore and her two brothers, who departed from Ireland in 1892 to be reunited with their parents who had emigrated three years earlier. A similar statue of Annie can be found at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, where she is honored as the first immigrant to pass through Ellis Island.
The Cobh Heritage Center tells the story of these emigrants. They also offer a geneological search service where you can retrace your forebearers. On the 11th April 1912 the newly built Titanic called to the port of Queenstown (now known as Cobh) on her maiden voyage. Titanic had set out from Southampton and called to Cherbourg before continuing onto Queenstown. A total of 123 passengers embarked at Queenstown, with a total of 2,206 people on board she embarked on her final ill fated journey.
The Lusitania, with 1959 people on board, sank when topedoed just outside Cobh. 150 of her victims were buried in mass graves in the Old Church cemetery in Cobh with survivors also ferried to Cobh and they were accommodated in local hospitals, lodging houses, and private homes. The Heritage center retells all these stories and many more too. This is a piece of history that's not to be missed.