Photo courtesy Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau

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H.L. Hunley submarine is open to visitors Saturdays and Sundays. Interactive exhibits share her story of mystery and intrigue.

Photo Courtesy of Friends of the Hunley, Warren Lasch Conservation Center, North Charleston, SC

Friends of the Hunley Submarine, North Charleston, SC

Getting an up-close and personal tour of the most unique artifact from the Civil War

by Jennifer Heisler | August 12, 2010

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On February 17, 1864 the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley left on what was to be a historic mission. After completing the first successful submarine attack in history she slipped away in the night. She never completed the final leg of her mission, returning home. That is until ten years ago when the submarine broke the surface for the first time in over 136 years. But the mystery surrounding her disappearance remains. What caused her to silently glide beneath the waves to her watery resting place?

Today there is an active archeological investigation solving just that—what happened to the Hunley? Even though the question remains unanswered, since being found she has yielded valuable information about her construction, her crew, and her history.

When you visit Charleston you can experience her, both how she was in her glory days and how she is now. You can see the actual Hunley, getting so close you can feel the depth of her secrets. The souls she houses were like astronauts are today. Many lost their lives in pursuit of her cause, for her final sinking was not her first.

Climb in a life-size replica and experience what it must have been like for the men who served in her—claustrophobic, hot, and physically exhausting. See what the brave souls carried into battle with them on what was to become a successful, but ultimately tragic voyage. Learn about the men, their lives, and why they chose to serve in the Hunley. Leave with an appreciation for how far ahead of her time Hunley was, since another U.S. submarine wouldn’t see significant military service until World War I.

The Friends of the Hunley have opened the Warren Lasch Conservation Lab and Visitors Center to share this treasure with visitors on Saturdays (10am–5pm) and Sundays (12pm–5pm). Your admission ($12, $10 for seniors, military) includes the visitor center and museum as well as a guided tour of the Hunley. You will see her in her conservation tank, designed to preserve her using over 90,000 gallons of water. At the museum there are artifacts recovered from the Hunley and interactive exhibits detailing her complete history. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the Friends of the Hunley website and all proceeds go to continuing the preservation of the Hunley.