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Hunley Submarine 

The Hunley Submarine was a Confederate sub and the first to sink a warship. The submarine was on one of its first training missions on August 29, 1863, when it sank, killing five crew members. The submarine was raised and returned to service.  It then sank again two months later, killing all eight crew members, including the submarine's inventor Horace Hunley. The sub was recovered and again returned to service. On Feb 17, 1864, the Hunley submarine rammed a spar with an attached torpedo into the USS Housatonic, a Union ship in the Charleston Harbor. The Housatonic sank in about five minutes, killing 5 of its 155 crewmen. Damage from the torpedo explosion also caused damage to the Hunley, causing it to sink, killing all eight crew members on board. This time, the submarine was lost for 136 years until it was recovered in 2000. The remains of the crew were laid to rest in a large ceremony in 2004. 

Tours are only offered on Saturday and Sunday, so scientists can continue to work on preserving the Hunley during the week. Tickets are available at the entrance on a first come first serve basis, but often sell out. Buying tickets online in advance is highly recommended. Free parking is offered on site, and you should allow about an hour and a half to tour everything.   

Hunley Submarine Photos

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Hunley Submarine Hours and Admission

Hours:   Saturday 10 am - 3 pm Sunday 10 am - 3 pm

Admission: Adults (18+) $18 Students/Youth (6-17) $10 Senior Citizens/Military $15 Children under 5 Free

A visit to the Hunley lab is a combined self-paced and guided tour.  The actual viewing of the submarine in the tank is docent led and lasts approximately 20 minutes.  With a store, interactive exhibits, and activities, most visitors stay at least one hour.

Hunley Submarine Address and Map

Hunley Submarine 1250 Supply St North Charleston SC 29405 (843) 743-4865 Hunley Submarine Website

Current and Upcoming Events at the Hunley Submarine

No upcoming events scheduled

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H.L. Hunley Submarine

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H.L. Hunley Submarine - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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The H.L. Hunley Project and Submarine Tours

South carolina.

1250 11th Street North Charleston , SC 29405 United States

Get Directions

On the night of February 17, 1864, the Confederate submarine, H.L. Hunley, sank the Union sloop USS Housatonic near Charleston Harbor. Tragically, Hunley never made it back to port, sinking in Charleston Harbor and killing all eight crewmen. The fate of Hunley remained a mystery for more than a century until the wreck was found in May 1995. In the summer of 2000, the submarine was raised and transported to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center. During the week, the center is an active laboratory for preserving Hunley, but on weekends, visitors can tour the facility and learn about the fascinating discoveries the wreckage has yielded.

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We Are Open on the Weekends! Visitor Hours are Saturday 10AM – 5PM & Sunday 10AM – 3PM!

Tour The Hunley

FRIENDS OF THE HUNLEY STORE

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The Hunley’s air circulation system didn’t work or was disconnected the night she and her eight-man crew vanished in 1864. The finding suggests difficulty getting oxygen inside crew compartment.

According to the scientists studying the submarine, the crew did not operate the emergency keel release mechanisms the night they lost their lives in the experimental, 40-foot vessel. The blocks represent a significant breakthrough in conservation as well as an important clue for those working to solve the mystery of the Hunley’s disappearance.

The Hunley has finally come out of her shell. For the first time in over a century, you can actually see the original surface of the world’s first successful combat submarine. Using small hand tools, drills, and chisels, conservators have removed approximately 1200 pounds of concretion, roughly the same weight as a grand piano. This material is being removed so the submarine can be preserved for generations to come. With the exterior now completely exposed, they will start to chisel away the concretion covering the inside of the crew compartment.

FACEBOOK FEED

Friends of the Hunley • P.O. Box 21600, Charleston, SC 29413 • 1250 Supply Street, North Charleston, SC 29405 • Copyright © 2024 Friends of the Hunley.

Hunley Submarine Tour

Warren lasch conservation center - hunley, n. charleston, sc.

December 23rd and December 24th, 2023 in addition to March 31st (Easter Sunday), October 26th, December 21st and December 22nd, 2024.

• Adults: $18
• Students/Youth 6-12: $10.00
• Members: $12.00
• Senior Citizens (65 +): $15.00
• Active/Retired Military with ID: $15.00
• Children 5 and under: FREE

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Hunley Submarine Tour

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DESCRIPTION

Why you should go.

On February 17th, 1864, the H. L. Hunley became the first successful combat submarine in world history with the sinking of the USS Housatonic. After completing her mission, she mysteriously vanished and remained lost at sea for over a century. For decades, adventurers searched for the legendary submarine. On February 17th, 1864, the H. L. Hunley became the first successful combat submarine in world history with the sinking of the USS Housatonic. After completing her mission, she mysteriously vanished and remained lost at sea for over a century. For decades, adventurers searched for the legendary submarine.

Over a century later, the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), led by New York Times-bestselling author Clive Cussler, finally found the Hunley in 1995. News of the discovery traveled quickly around the world. A ground breaking effort began to retrieve the fragile submarine from the sea. The Hunley Commission and Friends of the Hunley, a non-profit group charged with raising funds in support of the vessel, led an effort with the United States Navy that culminated on August 8th, 2000 with the Hunley’s safe recovery.

She was then delivered to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, a high-tech lab specifically designed to conserve the vessel and unlock the mystery of her disappearance. The Hunley has since been excavated and proved to be a time capsule, holding a wide array of artifacts that can teach us about life during the American Civil War. The submarine and the hundreds of artifacts found onboard are currently undergoing preservation work while archaeologists use the historical clues they have found to piece together the final moments of the Hunley and her crew.

The Hunley’s journey through time has been marked by innovation, courage and tragedy. Her against-all-odds tale has spanned the centuries and is one of the greatest maritime mysteries in recent history. This website follows the pioneering vessel from her inception during the American Civil War to the modern-day efforts surrounding her preservation and study.

Parking & Transportation

Parking is ample at attraction.

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Overview Video

Make reservations in advance or show your pass at the gate full admission is included., all reviews.

Purchased the TourPass online in advance of our trip. We selected a two day pass which included 3 premium selections and as many standard selections we could fit in.

Slick, slick, slick! The premium tours tell you how many spots are available which made it easy to know if you have time to choose or pick right away. Once selected you just go at the appointed time and tell the provider you are using tourpass. Your name is on their list! Worked flawlessly!

The Standard tours is just as simple. You go, tell them you have tourpass, you click a button, the provider gives you a code which you type in and click submitt. That's it! Enjoy!

This system works great and is a savings. Makes scheduling your vist EZPZ!

If you're on the fence, buy it!

Initially, I had some amount of distrust ordering on line. Worried that tickets would not come through, etc. Mathematically pre calculated if TourPass could offer savings compared to purchasing admission tickets individually. TourPass certainly did! To get the most out of our day, I planned an aggressive itinerary. We even brought sandwiches for lunch, so as not to waste a minute. We were able to get in 6 standard tours and one featured! Our second featured tour on Red Boat was cancelled. TourPass promptly refunded this amount on my credit card. No hassle, no worries! We did the1 day St Augustine pass. The featured Trolley Tour was outstanding, as were standard tours The Oldest Store and Jail. If I ever get to Savanah or Charleston will definitely go with TourPass. They did a great job of covering St Augustine’s highlights. Their app was user friendly and showed proximity of nearby attractions, saving steps and time. Everything was so easy. It’s not often one has such a positive experience. TourPass offers value and demonstrated integrity. You can trust them.

Our tour pass was worth the price. It's actually a money saver. We took the tour of St Augustine and got our bearings. It also helped us select the attractions. The drivers were pleasant, very helpful, and steeped in St Augustine history. Simply wonderful!

This made our Savannah trip so much easier to plan and to see all the attractions we wanted. It saved me over $100. In three days, we were able to visit all the places we wanted plus more! I would highly recommend buying this tour pass!

My husband and I went to St. Augustine for 2 days and wanted to see as much as possible. By using TourPass we were able to see the most popular attractions at a greatly reduced price. I would definitely use TourPass in other cities!

Purchasing a Tour Pass was the best decision for us! We saw many more attractions that we would have without it! So efficient too! Pay once and go, go, go! We would highly recommend it!

I purchased the Savannah tour pass for 3 days, I did not use them consecutively, as I was on town for 8 days. I chose to do the Hop on Hop off Tour on my first day to give me an overview of Savannah, I rode the trolleys for a total of two loops, guide offered a different perspective on the city. I took a walking tour, Brad was awesome, 1.5 hrs of wonderful history. I rode the Paddle boat, was a bit disappointed the wheel doesn't function. I also visited Fort Pulaski on my last day in Savannah, it was a wonderful experience. Those were the 4 featured options I used. I also used multiple options from the normal options, my 2 favorites were the Square Pops and the Jepsen Art Center. I cannot express how awesome it was to be able to enter a venue, have it paid for, and just enjoy. I will purchase the Savannah Pass when I return next year, it was well worth it's value. Now I am hopeful the Charleston, SC Pass, that it is just as terrific, as I am visiting in the Fall.

This was awesome value for the money, we were in both places the first week in March with another couple and it made planning things to do much easier and the value was outstanding. We figure we saved about $100 per couple.

We purchased the two day St. Augustine TourPass and found the pass well worth the money, providing us with access to museums and tours we might have passed on had we had to pay full price to see without the pass. Highly recommend purchasing, especially if in the area for several days.

So easy! Tour passed saved us over $200 dollars. Just scan your phone and enjoy. Great way to visit St. Augustine.

Tour Pass made our trip so easy to navigate. Easy check in at all our locations! Saved us a lot of time.

My contact at Tour Pass for both Savannah and Charleston was a gentleman named Keith. He went above and beyond to help me in setting up the events/days and was extremely patient with a non-technologically adept mature individual like me. He helped every time I called and was always charming while doing so which reduced my stress level. He also assisted when a day change was needed and on a refund for an event. It felt like my sister and I had a friend in the area!

The events were good selections and the information provided for each was appreciated. What would have added to the info for tourists would have been info about parking availability.

Loved it and saved money. St Augustine is such a fun city. Makes planning and visiting soooo much easier. I’ve purchased Tour Pass in all of their cities now (Charleston, Savannah and now St Augustine).

5 stars all the way! So many worthwhile attractions to choose from. Don’t even need to think twice or research more. Worth all the money for however many days of your visit. Plus so easy to use. Enough said! We will definitely be back and buy the Tour Pass all over again.

I got the tour pass for my family when we visited Charleston, SC in December. It was perfect since we weren't familiar with the city and this gave us ideas and suggestions of verified and validated things to do without having to do the research myself. We will definitely get the pass again.

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Adults:   $111

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Children:   $131 $124.

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St. Augustine Saving Examples

Pro tips for visiting st. augustine.

Pro Tip #1: Hop On Hop Off Trolleys

• If you plan on riding the Hop On Hop Off Trolley you can park for free at the Trolley bus station. If staying in the historic district they will also provide hotel pick-up (call them to schedule). 
• If you want to ride the Hop On Hop Off Trolley for more than 1-day, you can use an additional Featured Tour or we recommend upgrading your 1-day ticket to multiple days when you get there. You’ll have to pay out-of-pocket to upgrade.

Pro Tip #2: Use Maps on Mobile Pass

• Utilize the maps on the Mobile Pass you’ll receive after purchasing Tour Pass (interactive maps, attraction map, Trolley map and parking garage & restroom map). You can use the Mobile Pass for planning to see what’s near attractions of interest.

1-Day Pass Saving Example

Day #1 Example Itinerary

• Choose a total of 2 Featured Tours + Visit as Many Standard Attractions as You Wish for 1-Day.
• The selections below are an example. You can choose whatever you want from the available tours.

Price w/o Tour Pass

Hop On Hop Off Trolley Tour (Featured Tour #1)

Sunset Boat Tour (Featured Tour #2)

MarineLand General Admission (Standard Attraction)

Old Jail Museum Tour (Standard Attraction)

Colonial Experience Tour (Standard Attraction)

Spanish Military Museum (Standard Attraction)

• 1-Day w/o Tour Pass $157.69
• 1-Day Tour Pass Price – $110

1-Day per Person Savings = $47.69

Save 30% Off of Retail Ticket Prices

2-Day Pass Saving Example

Day #2 Example Itinerary

• Choose a total of 3 Featured Tours + Visit as Many Standard Attractions as You Wish for 2-Days.

(Includes Tours from Day 1)

Paranormal Fort Walking Tour (Featured Tour #3)

Oldest Museum Store Experience (Standard Attraction)

Potter’s Wax Museum (Standard Attraction)

Villla Zorayda Museum (Standard Attraction)

St. Aug History Museum (Standard Attraction)

Includes tour cost from day #1 + day #2

• 2-Day Tour Pass Price – $159

2-Day per Person Savings = $90.69

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3-Day Pass Saving Example

Day #3 Example Itinerary

• Choose a total of 4 Featured Tours + Visit as Many Standard Attractions as You Wish for 3-Days.

Ticket Price w/o Tour Pass

(Includes Tours from Day 1 + Day 2)

Ghost & Gravestones Trolley Tour (Featured Tour #4)

Classic Car Museum (Standard Attraction)

Ximenez-Fatio House Museum (Standard Attraction)

Oldest House Museum Complex (Standard Attraction)

Includes tour cost from day #1 + day #2 + day #3

• 3-Day Tour Pass Price – $191

3-Day per Person Savings = $139.14

Save 42% Off of Retail Ticket Prices

Saving Examples

Pro tips for visiting savannah.

• If you plan on riding the Hop On Hop Off Trolley, ride it for 1-day to get familiarized with Savannah, then ride the free DOT Hop On Hop Off Trolley for additional days.
• If you want to ride the narrated or paid Hop On Hop Off Trolley for more than 1-day, you can upgrade your 1-day ticket to multiple days when you get there. You’ll have to pay out-of-pocket to upgrade.
• Park at the Visitor Center: 301 Martin Luther King Blvd.
• Trolley maps are also available on the Mobile Pass.

Savannah Theatre Show Admission (Featured Tour #1)

Hop On Hop Off Trolley (1-day) (Featured Tour #2)

Owens Thomas House & Slave Quarters (Standard Attraction)

Prohibition Museum (Standard Attraction)

Georgia Railroad Museum (Standard Attraction)

• 1-Day w/o Tour Pass $157.68
• 1-Day Tour Pass Price – $119

1-Day per Person Savings = $38.68

Save 25% Off of Retail Ticket Prices

Riverboat Cruise (Featured Tour #3)

Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace House (Standard Attraction)

Harper Fowlkes House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Savannah History Museum (Standard Attraction)

Davenport House Museum (Standard Attraction)

• 2-Day Tour Pass Price – $168

2-Day per Person Savings = $83.40

Save 33% Off of Retail Ticket Prices

Guided Bicycle Historical Tour (Featured Tour #4)

Telfair Academy House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum (Standard Attraction)

Old Fort Jackson (Standard Attraction)

Green Meldrim House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Andrew Low House Museum (Standard Attraction)

• 3-Day Tour Pass Price – $218

3-Day per Person Savings = $162.35

Save 43% Off of Retail Ticket Prices

Charleston Saving Examples

Pro tips for visiting charleston.

• Pro Tip #1: Charleston has a free trolley (DASH) that you can ride for downtown transportation. There are 3 routes. All routes intersect at the Visitor’s Center (375 Meeting Street). To switch buses, get off at the Visitor Center and wait for the appropriate bus. We recommend parking here if you intend on riding the trolley.
• Pro Tip #2: Utilize the maps on the Mobile Pass you’ll receive after purchasing Tour Pass (interactive maps, attraction map, Trolley map and parking garage & restroom map). You can use the Mobile Pass for planning to see what’s near attractions of interest.

Carriage Tour Daytime or Haunted (Featured Tour #1)

Schooner Pride Afternoon Sail (Featured Tour #2)

Gibbes Museum of Art (Standard Attraction)

Aiken Rhett House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Charleston Fun Park Voucher (Standard Attraction)

• 1-Day w/o Tour Pass $148
• 1-Day Tour Pass Price – $111

1-Day per Person Savings = $37

Save 25% Off of Retail Ticket Price

Charleston Harbor Tour (Featured Tour #3)

McLeod Plantation Tour (Standard Attraction)

Charles Towne Landing (Standard Attraction)

Hunley Submarine Tour (Standard Attraction)

• 2-Day Tour Pass Price – $156

2-Day per Person Savings = $91

Save 37% Off of Retail Ticket Prices

History or Ghost Walking Tour (Featured Tour #4)

Nathaniel Russell House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon (Standard Attraction)

Heyward Washington House Tour (Standard Attraction)

• 3-Day Tour Pass Price – $204

3-Day per Person Savings = $127

Save 38% Off of Retail Ticket Prices

Pass purchases can be refunded (minus 3% credit card processing fees) if requested within thirty-days of purchase date (for unused passes). Optional Trip Protection (5% of total amount) can be purchased at checkout which extends the refund period up to one-year from purchase date. Conditions apply. View full refund policy by clicking button below.

Save $111.40 per person which is 44% off of retail rates with a 3-day pass!

(Examples below are suggestions. You can choose whatever you’d like to do from the available tours/attractions.)

There’s no denying the saving and convenience that Tour Pass offers! Plus you can book your tours in advance with our amazing Mobile Pass that includes maps and detailed attraction information. The more you do the more you save. Imagine how much more you could save with a 4 or 5-day pass!

Pass purchases can be refunded (minus 3% credit card processing fees) if requested within thirty-days of purchase date (for unused passes). Optional Trip Insurance can be purchased for a nominal fee at checkout which extends the refund period up to one-year from purchase date. Conditions apply. View full refund policy by clicking button below.

H.L. Hunley

Come discover a piece of the past, with the H.L. Hunley submarine. Guided tours at the Warren Lasch Conservation Laboratory include viewing the Hunley, artifact displays, and interactive exhibits.

If you are a history bug, this is a site you want to see and a story you want to hear!

On the night of February 17, 1864, the H.L. Hunley and its eight crewman embarked on a dangerous mission. The experimental vessel was to become the first successful submarine in history, with a mission to sink an enemy ship, the USS Housatonic. That night, the Hunley rammed her spar torpedo into the hull of the Housatonic. The Hunley would remain on the bottom of the ocean floor until August 2000, after many years of search and recovery planning.

Photo by Christopher Klein .

Location and Contact Information

1250 Supply Street, Building 255, Former Charleston Navy Base North Charleston, SC 29405 843-743-4865

Knowitall.org

3D VR - H. L. Hunley Museum | Let's Go!

• Information

The H.L. Hunley submarine made history during the American Civil War when she became the first submarine to sink an enemy ship in combat. In February 1864, the  Hunley , under command of Lieutenant George E. Dixon, sank the U.S.S. Housatonic; a Union blockade vessel. The  Hunley's  mission was a success, but disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and never returned to port. The  Hunley  was the third in a series of submarines constructed by engineers Horace Lawson Hunley, Baxter Watson, and James McClintock. Before the  Hunley's  successful attack on the  Housatonic , the  Hunley  had two accidents, the second of which claimed Horace Hunley's life. 

The submarine was found by author Clive Cussler, and his team known as NUMA (National Underwater Marine Agency) in 1995. She was raised in 2000, and has since been undergoing conservation efforts at the Warren-Lasch Conservation Center, in Charleston, South Carolina. There is a museum devoted to the H.L. Hunley, which is open to the public on weekends. 

Click play to view the tour on your device

View on the matterport app.

The 3D experiences were shot with a Matterport Pro 3D Camera. Experience the VRs using the Matterport phone apps with either a Google Cardboard or Samsung Gear VR.

(1)  Download   the  iOS or Android app   to your phone

(2)  Use your phone's browser   to go to the VR link at  H.L. Hunley Museum .

(3)  When you click on a link, the Matterport App will open on your phone.

(4)  The VRs will need to download to the app prior to viewing.

(5)  Look for the visual queues (circles) to navigate through the VR experience.

• 3-4.4 Summarize the course of the Civil War in South Carolina, including the Secession Convention, the firing on Fort Sumter, the Union blockade of Charleston, the significance of the Hunley submarine; the exploits of Robert Smalls; and General William...
• 8-4.5 Compare the military strategies of the North and the South during the Civil War and the fulfillment of these strategies in South Carolina and in the South as a whole, including the attack on Fort Sumter, the Union blockade of Charleston and other...
• The Battlefield
• American Civil War

Collection:

• Virtual Reality
• Places to Visit in S.C.
• American Civil War (1861-1865)
• National Submarine Day
• H.L. Hunley
• H. L. Hunley Museum

More in this Series

Let's go / h. l. hunley museum.