Friends of the Hunley

What Friends of the Hunley does

Friends of the Hunley is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that conserves, studies, and exhibits the H.L. Hunley — the world's first successful combat submarine — at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston, South Carolina. The organization was formed to coordinate the recovery and long-term preservation of the Confederate submarine after it was located in 1995 by Clive Cussler's NUMA team and raised from the ocean floor in August 2000. Its core product is a guided weekend public tour of the actual submarine, displayed in a 75,000-gallon conservation tank alongside more than 1,500 recovered artifacts, facial reconstructions of the eight-man crew, and a climbable full-scale submarine model; complementary offerings include curriculum-aligned school tours and pre-arranged private group tours on weekdays.

The conservation work itself is the organization's technical backbone and is delivered in partnership with Clemson University Restoration Institute. Techniques developed or deployed include sodium hydroxide chemical desalination to leach salts from the iron hull, sub-critical chamber treatment for individual metal components, multi-material composite artifact conservation for objects combining iron, wood, leather, and brass, and 3D scanning and digital modeling of the crew compartment. The organization also supports forensic identification of the crew, drawing on DNA analysis through AFDIL and JPAC and textile/jewelry expertise from the Smithsonian.

The business model is a hybrid of earned and contributed revenue typical of a small nonprofit museum. Earned revenue comes from tiered tour admissions ($24 adult, $20 senior/military, $15 youth, $18 member, free under 5, $10 student groups with a 20-person minimum, and $500 minimum for private weekday groups of up to 20), a merchandise store (clothing, jewelry, books, collectibles) operating online via BigCommerce and on-site, and an annual membership program that includes a subscription to The Blue Light Magazine, merchandise and tour discounts, and members-only behind-the-scenes access. Contributed revenue comes from charitable donations, special events such as the annual oyster roast, and historical federal matching grants channeled through Clemson University (notably $10.3 million in 2005). The organization serves individual tourists, families, school groups, private group clients, and a global membership base spanning the U.S., U.K., Germany, Ireland, France, and Australia.

Name

Friends of the Hunley

Legal name

Friends of the Hunley

Website

https://hunley.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends of the Hunley is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that conserves and exhibits the H.L. Hunley — the world's first successful combat submarine — through weekend tours, school and private group programs, and a membership and merchandise operation at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Historical Sites (71212), Museums (71211)

akta.pro primary industry

History Museums (THAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), History, Heritage & Museum-Focused Study Tours (THAKAGAN), UNESCO & Protected Landmark Sites (THAJACAI)

Keywords

• Maritime archaeology
• Historical museum
• Submarine conservation
• Artifact preservation
• Civil war history

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tour Admissions: The primary revenue stream comes from ticket sales for weekend tours of the Hunley submarine and conservation facility. Tickets are sold online through Etix and at the gate, with tiered pricing for different visitor categories including adults, youth, seniors, military, and members.
2. Merchandise Sales: The Hunley Store sells clothing, jewelry, books, collectibles and other items. All proceeds support efforts to save the Hunley. Sales occur both online through BigCommerce and at the physical location during tours.
3. Membership Program: Annual membership subscriptions providing benefits including the Blue Light Magazine, discounted tour tickets, 10% off merchandise, entrance to behind-the-scenes members-only tours, car decals, and member hats.
4. Private Group Tours: Revenue from pre-arranged weekday private tours with minimum pricing of $500 for groups of 20 or less, with additional per-person charges for larger groups. Student youth groups receive discounted rates.
5. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Friends of the Hunley relies on charitable donations from those who care about history. In 2007 alone, the organization raised over one million dollars in private monies. The organization also hosts special events like the annual oyster roast.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Friends of the Hunley operates a historical museum and conservation laboratory at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center that preserves the H.L. Hunley submarine and over 1,500 excavated artifacts. It sells public admissions to weekend tours, school and private group tours, museum store merchandise, and annual memberships, with proceeds supporting ongoing conservation and educational programming.

Product overview

Friends of the Hunley is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and exhibiting the H.L. Hunley submarine—the world's first successful combat submarine. The organization operates the Warren Lasch Conservation Center as a museum offering multiple tour programs (weekend tours, school visits, and private group tours), runs a merchandise store, and maintains a membership program. The Hunley submarine and excavated artifacts are preserved in a 75,000-gallon tank and displayed alongside interactive exhibits for visitors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hunley Submarine Weekend Tour

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500,000 visitors from all 50 states and 20+ countries have visited since 2000
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• U-HaulminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 June 2007Partnership to feature the H.L. Hunley submarine on 1,200 new 17-foot moving vans as part of U-Haul's 'Venture Across America' Campaign, reaching audiences across the country.
• National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 May 1995NUMA, led by Clive Cussler, located the Hunley submarine on May 3, 1995. NUMA is a nonprofit organization that conducted the expedition to discover the legendary submarine.
• Clemson University Restoration InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClemson University leads the conservation team at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center. The partnership has developed new metal treatment methods and conservation techniques that have become models for maritime archaeology worldwide. Clemson conservators have conducted the delicate deconcretion work and developed the sub-critical chamber treatment technique.
• South Carolina Hunley CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe state commission oversees the Hunley project and has provided leadership including former State Senator Glenn McConnell as Chairman. The commission navigates the complex legal and governmental path for the project.
• Warren LaschcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusinessman Warren Lasch was chosen to lead Friends of the Hunley and the nonprofit organization is named after him. The Warren Lasch Conservation Center bears his name.
• National Park ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Park Service was part of the recovery team experts that included the U.S. Navy, South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, and Oceaneering International.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• USS Constitution Museum: Museum dedicated to the USS Constitution ('Old Ironsides'), America's oldest commissioned warship. Comparable as a heritage naval museum focused on a single iconic vessel with strong educational and preservation missions.
• National Civil War Naval Museum: Civil War naval museum in Columbus, GA, focused on Union and Confederate naval history. Directly comparable as a specialty museum sharing the Hunley's Civil War naval heritage scope and archaeological artifact focus.
• Mariners' Museum and Park: National maritime museum in Newport News, VA, featuring the USS Monitor Center. Comparable as a peer maritime archaeology and conservation museum with active artifact preservation and educational programming.

Broad incumbents

• USS Midway Museum: Large-scale naval museum aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway in San Diego. Comparable as a major maritime museum that combines a preserved vessel with immersive exhibits and high visitor throughput.
• Battleship Missouri Memorial: Memorial museum aboard the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor. Comparable as a major naval heritage museum focused on a single iconic vessel with high visitor volume and educational programming.

Others

• Naval History and Heritage Command: Official U.S. Navy historical organization that has partnered with Friends of the Hunley for artifact handling. Comparable as an institutional partner and reference point for naval heritage preservation methodology.
• Clemson University Restoration Institute: Clemson University center that leads the scientific conservation team at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center. Comparable as the core scientific partner performing the artifact conservation work described in the Hunley profile.

Regional players

• Historic Charleston Foundation: Preservation-focused nonprofit in Charleston that operates historic house museums. Comparable as a regional preservation nonprofit with similar donor, membership, and tour-revenue models.
• Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum: Also located in the Charleston Harbor area, Patriots Point is a naval museum featuring the USS Yorktown and other vessels. Directly comparable as a regional naval/maritime heritage attraction competing for the same tourist audience in Charleston.
• The Charleston Museum: America's first museum, located in Charleston, with a broader lowcountry history focus. Comparable as a regional history museum with similar visitor demographics and educational programming, and historically connected to the Hunley through the Pioneer submarine replica transfer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FriendsoftheHunley
• Facebookfacebook.com/HunleyProject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-the-hunley

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friends of the Hunley