Photography & the Queen Mary, Become Part of Her Living History

For nearly ninety years, the RMS Queen Mary has captured the imagination of travelers, photographers, and history enthusiasts around the world. From her glamorous days as a luxury ocean liner to her vital role in World War II and her life today as a Long Beach landmark, every detail of the ship has been photographed from every conceivable angle. But some of the most meaningful pictures of the Queen Mary aren’t the ones in books or postcards; they’re the personal snapshots taken by her passengers, crew, and visitors.

At the Queen Mary Heritage Foundation, we are building an online Queen Mary photo gallery that showcases not just rare historic images of the ship, but also the cherished memories of people like you. These pictures of the Queen Mary, whether a family photo on deck during a crossing, or a recent visit to the ship; help tell her story through the eyes of those who knew her best.

Why Share Your Queen Mary Pictures?

• Preserve the Ship's History: Every photo adds to the Queen Mary’s living archive, capturing moments that official records may never show.

• Connect Generations: Historic images of the Queen Mary and her passengers reveal what life onboard was really like, from glamorous crossings to wartime voyages.

• Show Her Legacy Today: Modern Queen Mary photos highlight her ongoing restoration and role as a cultural icon in Long Beach.

• Be Featured: Selected submissions may be showcased in our growing online gallery for enthusiasts worldwide to enjoy.

What We’re Looking For

We welcome a wide range of Queen Mary images, including:

• Historic snapshots of voyages, interiors, or events onboard

• Pictures of passengers and crew during crossings

• Modern-day photos of the ship as she stands today in Long Beach

How to Share Your Queen Mary Photos

Contributing your images is simple. Visit our Photo Gallery page and submit your photos at the link on the page. Please include any details you know, such as dates, locations, or family stories.

A Photographic History of the Queen Mary

The RMS Queen Mary isn’t just one of the greatest ocean liners ever built, she is also one of the most photographed ships in history. From her 1936 maiden voyage to her present-day life in Long Beach, the Queen Mary has been endlessly captured in photos, films, and personal snapshots.

Onboard Photography and Darkrooms

Like many ocean liners, the Queen Mary carried her own team of professional photographers and even had an onboard darkroom where film could be developed mid-voyage. Passengers could sit for portraits, buy candid shots of shipboard life, and receive their photos before the end of the crossing. This facility was cutting-edge at the time and ensured the Queen Mary’s daily life was extensively documented.

Even celebrities enjoyed the ship’s photographic amenities. Bing Crosby, a frequent passenger and an avid amateur photographer, was known to spend time in the Queen Mary’s darkroom, developing photos himself (a privilege not extended to most passengers) and chatting about the craft.

The Ship’s Photographers

One of the Queen Mary’s most notable photographers was Dick Dawson, who began work aboard in 1949. Dawson captured iconic black-and-white portraits of Hollywood stars, dignitaries, and everyday passengers. His images later formed part of Cunard exhibitions, and feature heavily in the Cunard Story Exhibit in the former 3rd class smoking room on the ship today, proving how significant shipboard photography was in shaping the Queen Mary’s glamorous reputation.

A Floating Icon in Photos and Film

The Queen Mary’s career also made her a magnet for press photographers. Famous passengers posed for cameras on deck, and troopship arrivals during World War II produced powerful images of thousands of servicemen crowding her decks.

Beyond still images, the ship has also appeared in numerous films, from The Poseidon Adventure to Pearl Harbor, making her one of the most recognizable ships on screen as well as in print.

Help us continue this photographic legacy. By sharing your own Queen Mary pictures, historic or modern—you contribute to the ship’s visual archive and ensure that future generations can see her story not just through official images, but through the memories of those who experienced her.