The Charleston Museum, in partnership with the Friends of the Hunley and Clemson University’s Warren Lasch Conservation Center, will open Textiles from the Deep: Findings from the H.L. Hunley Submarine October 3, 2026 in the Historic Textiles Gallery.
Over the past 26 years, scientists at Clemson University’s Warren Lasch Conservation Center, in partnership with the Friends of the Hunley, have worked to conserve the H.L. Hunley and unravel the mysteries surrounding its crew and final voyage. This exhibit highlights this remarkable conservation work, including newly conserved textile remnants that were meticulously cleaned while submerged in water and carefully freeze-dried. Together with personal effects such as buttons, shoes, pipes, and a gold coin, these fragile artifacts offer a rare and deeply personal glimpse into the crew members who ventured into the depths aboard the submarine.
“Each item offers a rare glimpse into the lives of the Hunley’s eight-man crew, a story of innovation and loss,” said Virginia Theerman, Curator of Historic Textiles at The Charleston Museum. “Conserving textiles in marine environments is quite a feat. The fact that we can now preserve, study, and share them is an extraordinary opportunity.”
On February 17, 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. The National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), led by New York Times-bestselling author Clive Cussler, finally found the Hunley in 1995, and in 2000 it was recovered off the coast of Charleston. The submarine was then delivered to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center at the Clemson University Charleston Innovation Campus in North Charleston. There, scientists continue conservation work and research, preserving the vessel for future generations while uncovering clues that will one day help solve the mystery of its sinking.
“History can feel distant until something brings you closer to the people who lived it,” said Kellen Butler, Executive Director of Friends of the Hunley. “These remnants of clothing do just that, offering a remarkably personal connection to the men of the Hunley.”
Visitors will have the opportunity to engage with a story that is known worldwide and tied to the Lowcountry’s own maritime legacy. The exhibit is on display through April 4, 2027.