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    Hunley

    4.6 (52 reviews)
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    Updated 1 month ago

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    Dani C.

    This. Was. My. Fav. Part. Of. Charleston!!!! Omg this museum was absolutely amazing. The staff is so nice. I am sooo glad I got to mark this off my bucket list!!! 5 stars!!! The Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley has the distinction of being the 1st submarine to sink an enemy warship in wartime, although the boat and its crew were lost as a result of this endeavor. Privately built in 1863 by Park and Lyons in Mobile, Alabama, with the financial backing of Horace Lawson Hunley, the submarine was constructed from rolled iron boiler plate with custom cast iron fittings. It was powered by a hand crank operated by a crew of 7, with an 8th member to pilot the boat. She was shipped by rail on 12 August 1863, to Charleston. Hunley (then referred to as the "fish boat", "fish torpedo boat", or the "porpoise") sank on 29 August 1863, during her 1st test run, killing 5 members of her crew. She sank again on 15 October 1863, killing all 8 of her 2nd crew, including Horace Lawson Hunley himself, even though he was not a member of the Confederate military. Both times Hunley was raised and returned to service. On 17 February 1864, the Confederate submarine approached USS Housatonic, a 16-gun, 1,240-ton sloop-of-war, on blockade duty 4 miles off the entrance to Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The Hunley carried a torpedo packed with explosive black powder bolted to a 16-foot spar. It rammed Housatonic below the water line, detonating the torpedo, tearing a hole in the Union ship's hull and sending her to the bottom along with 5 of her crew; however, the Hunley (and her 3rd crew consisting of 8 crewmen) was not seen again for over a century. In 1995, it was found by preservationists. It was raised in 2000 and taken to North Charleston's Warren Lasch Conservation Center, which had been constructed for the Hunley. The crewmen's remains were later removed for burial, and the submarine underwent extensive preservation work and research.

    John B.

    This tour experience was notable for being the first place in a year where I walked into wearing a mask and was told specifically by the security guard that I didn't have to wear it. I could if I wanted, I was told. Yelp reviews aren't the place for a lengthy medical dialogue, but for myself, I was okay with going maskless and working through the psychological experience of being inside with other people. I suppose in a few years this review will read strangely, but the COVID era has been a strange time. The tour is only open on weekends and requires reservations. My tour started a bit before the time on my ticket and one can also wander through some exhibits beforehand, so definitely get there early. My tour guide emphasized the fact that the building's main purpose is as a workspace, not as a museum, which definitely is accurate. At present, you'll walk up some stairs and look down at the submarine from above immersed in a tank of water. There are some historical exhibits, including notably a coin that apparently deflected a bullet and saved the life of one of the men on board - and it sure looks like a coin that took a direct bullet hit. There are a few replica bits of the submarine that you can climb in, which were apparently build for a movie and are not to scale (they're actually bigger than the tiny metal tube that eight or so adult men somehow fit into), which is kind of a disappointment. The focus of the tour is narrowly on the boat itself and not much on the broader Civil War history, but it is interesting. The idea of stuffing one's self into a pre-industrial experimental submarine is mind-boggling. The propellor was literally powered by the men cranking it by hand. The only weapon was a single torpedo at the end of a stick. The thing sunk and killed a total of a dozen or so people inside it on two separate occasions before it even saw battle, at which point it victoriously sank a ship and then disappeared under circumstances that remain mysterious before being found over a century later and preserved in its present form. I don't have a strong opinion on the various theories of what happened to the crew, but the whole story is just bonkers. The submarine is apparently owned by the Navy (that is, the United States Navy, who claim it as spoils of war). The story emphasizes the fact that the submarine was built by profiteers, and it seems a far more profitable enterprise as a historical artifact than it ever was in practice. You'll likely see plenty of people from the contemporary U.S. armed forces visiting here, and the relationship this place and the people have to Civil War history and the broader American story is something I haven't really gotten my head around, despite living in the South for several years and giving a good faith effort to understand it. Commentary aside, the visitor experience here isn't amazing, but this thing is such a weird piece of history that I do think it's worth seeing for anyone who is on the fence about it. The tour and a little time before and after exploring is likely to run on the order of an hour and a half.

    Melinda W.

    This is a great museum for adults and kids alike. You don't want to miss this piece of American history! The exhibits were very well done - easy to read and also interactive. You will need about an hour here to take it all in. Parking is free and there are an adequate number of spaces. The gift shop was quite nice with a fairly large selection of items. The only negative thing I have to say is that it is a bit hard to find - definitely need to use your GPS as there were no signs.

    Tom G.

    The HL Hunley is a must do whether you're a local or visitor to the Charleston area. A unique piece of national history from the Charleston area, the museum and tour is exceptionally well done and informative. The tour guide/docent was very knowledgeable and passionate about the HL Hunley and excited to share his knowledge. The museum walk through and tour took a little over an hour and was worth every minute. Excellent!!

    Hunter S.

    First off, you can only see this site on the weekends, so plan accordingly. I would also buy tickets ahead of time, as space is limited. This is an active research and restoration site for a civil war confederate submarine. How many times can someone expect to see something like this?! They have a nice museum, then a tour guide leads you up to show you the submarine and discuss the history and the restoration. After having plenty of time to see the sub and snap photos, there is more discussion of theories about how the sub sank as well as interesting stories surrounding the crew. You can tell everyone on site is passionate about history and this project. Excellent opportunity to see something amazing and unimaginable.

    Julio H.

    This laboratory is a blessing, considering the discovery of the Hunley is very recent and that research is still being done on this vessel five days out of the week. The Hunley still keeps its secrets and we are trying to unmask this sub. Very good tour guides and nice public displays make this "museum" hybrid the most exciting exhibit in the country right now.

    The aft end of the Hunley in its tank
    Richard P.

    The confederate sub Hunley sank a Union vessel off Charleston in 1864. The sub itself sank later that night for reasons unknown and was lost for over a century. It was raised in 2000 and resides in a tank of water where it is being cleaned and studied. The remains of the crew were found at their stations. After several years of forensic analysis, they were buried with military honors in Magnolia cemetery, near the Hunley. There are exhibits that describe the history of the sub, and some personal effects of the crew. The guide was very knowledgeable. This is a part of history that cannot be observed anywhere else in the world, and is well worth the time and cost.

    Hunley Conservatory
    Jeff E.

    It has been easily 15 years since we visited the Hunley. Wow! What a place this has become. We decided to check it out on a rainy day while in Charleston. First, the conservation efforts are amazing. Now that the National Geographic license is over, you can photograph the sub. The science behind the conservation is fascinating and the volunteers giving tours are knowledgeable. The museum portion is great as well. A concise history of the Civil War, Charleston, and the Hunley. The sections on the recovery may be the most interesting part. This is well worth a visit -rain or shine!

    Bow of the Hunley
    Robert P.

    We had been to the Hunley with a large group of Cub Scouts in August of 2001. At that time it looked something like a Sea Cucumber in murky water.....to return was amazing! First thing is that they have made such improvements in the actual space, without losing the hands on approach that we still remembered 19 years ago.... Dr Lee, who has been "hands on " on the project from the beginning greets you and checks you in, sends you inside the museum where you are handed your tickets. Our guide was more than knowledgeable, and the ship itself is in the process of a remarkable restoration. There she sits, submerged upright in a crystal clear tank. Every rivet is visible, the details are remarkable. After the tour, we strolled through the museum, checked out the gift shop and were so motivated by the presentation that we became Friends of the Hunley....Nice to see this kind of energy and devotion.....talked to Dr Lee on the way out, he is an absolute font of knowledge about the Hunley! And talk to him about supporting the project....it is truly money well spent

    Ashton M.

    We loved our tour of the Hunley and relevant artifacts. I have a great appreciation for the time and effort put in to this museum by the conservationists. There was plenty of parking and enough to entertain kids and adults alike.

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    3 years ago

    Very nice museum. Everything was so nice, and available to see. The best part was seeing the actual hunley. Would define go again

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    4 years ago

    This was an extremely interesting exhibit to visit if you are in Charleston. Amazing story, definitely worth a visit.

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