Feel what it was like to be a crew member!
A visit to the Hunley is the perfect destination. See what the first successful submarine looked like. Here are just a few of the things you’ll see as you take a voyage of discovery with us …
- The real Hunley in her 75,000-gallon tank
- Artifacts found during excavation
- The legendary gold coin that saved the Captain’s life
- Facial reconstructions of the crew
- Climb inside a Hunley model and enjoy interactive exhibits for all ages
The night of February 17th, 1864, the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley attacked and sank the USS Housatonic off the coast of Charleston. She then mysteriously vanished with her crew of eight. That night, history was made and a mystery was born. The Hunley became the first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship.
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.
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.
As an optional/add-on activity to our 2027 reunion, we are pleased to offer the event at a reduced group price from the normal event pricing. This event IS NOT included in the reunion fee and requires a minimum group size to get the discounted price.
Private Group Tour: $25.00 per person. Please note, we require a minimum of 20 people for this private tour event
Prices shown above reflect current venue costs and are provided for budgetary/planning purposes only. These prices will likely increase as it gets closer to the rally event.
Purchasing Deadline: Payment must be RECEIVED no later than September 27th to be included in the group tour and pay the group price. Tickets may be available for purchase on your own directly from the venue after the deadline. Unfortunately, there will be absolutely no refunds after tickets have been purchased for you.
Transportation Information: Transportation is on your own. We recommend Car Pooling to this event. Parking is free.