100 Hours Beneath the Chesapeake: The Klingel Aquascope
Explore Gilbert Klingel’s pioneering Aquascope and the story of underwater discovery in the Chesapeake Bay.
The Mathews Museum welcomes the public to the opening of 100 Hours Beneath the Chesapeake on Saturday, August 29.
At the center of the exhibit is Gilbert Klingel’s 3,000-pound Aquascope, a two-person submersible created for the exploration and photography of life beneath the Chesapeake Bay.
Built with support from the National Geographic Society, the Aquascope helped Klingel and photographer Willard R. Culver document the underwater world near Gwynn’s Island. Their pioneering work introduced audiences far beyond Mathews to a part of the Chesapeake few had ever seen.
Now returned to Mathews County as a permanent museum resident, the Aquascope invites visitors to discover Klingel’s ingenuity, curiosity, and enduring contribution to Chesapeake history.
Admission is free.