Titanic Discovery’s 40th Anniversary: Dr. Robert Ballard and New Exhibition

September 1 marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most famous underwater discoveries of the 20th century— locating the RMS Titanic, lost beneath the North Atlantic for over seven decades. Led by Ocean Exploration Trust’s founder and President, Dr. Robert Ballard, a 1985 joint American-French expedition revealed the long-lost wreck, capturing the world's imagination and opening a new chapter in deep-sea exploration.

But the story behind the original discovery has only recently been told in full. In 1985, Ballard was tasked with a top-secret Navy mission to locate two lost nuclear submarines. To keep the assignment hidden, he needed a cover story, so he said he was searching for the RMS Titanic. The twist? He found it.

As we celebrate this anniversary, OET is happy to announce a new way audiences can dive into the famous Titanic story and how much remains unknown beneath the ocean's surface. We are thrilled to announce the premiere of a new traveling exhibition, “Finding Titanic: The Secret Mission”. Developed by OET and renowned exhibition producer Flying Fish and supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration and the Office of Naval Research, the exhibition makes its debut in Illinois in September before embarking on an extensive international tour.