The History of Diving Museum in Islamorada Highlights the Sport of Diving

Focused on the story of Man's quest to explore under the sea, The History of Diving Museum is located in Islamorada, Florida in the Florida Keys, about halfway between Miami and Key West along Route 1. The museum was founded in 2006 by Drs. Joseph and Sally Bauer, a surgeon and ER physician, respectively, both of whom had a deep interest in SCUBA diving. Pursuing avocations as marine biologists and diving historians during their lifetimes, the Bauer's amassed a huge collection of diving equipment and other paraphernalia from all around the world. Today, the 6,000-square-foot museum houses the most comprehensive collection of historical diving apparatus in the world and is one of just a few museums of its kind.

Currently, the museum has eight permanent exhibits, though items on display change from time to time. In the fascinating Parade of Nations display, visitors can view 45 historic dive helmets from countries at every corner of the world. Spanning the last few centuries, the helmets represent 24 different countries and include a number of very rare examples of the diving helmet.

South Florida and the Treasure Hunters Gallery profiles South Florida's role in diving history and tells the stories of the divers who became treasure hunters. The Timeline of Diving exhibit educates visitors about more than 3,000 years of diving history from early pearl divers through the invention of diving machines, diving helmets, and modern day SCUBA equipment.

Into the Abyss is a favorite exhibit of all ages and includes unique diving armor and apparatus developed to assist in a number of different kinds of undersea exploration. Guests of the museum can touch and interact with some of these unusual creations as well as photograph them. Similarly, the Evolution of SCUBA gallery profiles landmarks in SCUBA history and displays authentic apparatus that led up to today's modern equipment.

Three additional small galleries profile Helium Diving, Lights in the Sea - the story of underwater lighting from candles to early electric lamps, and Origins of the Mark V, the classic U.S. Navy helmet that was long the standard for military diving. The Museum of Diving History also boasts a 550-gallon saltwater aquarium that is home to an immense variety of fish.

Special events at the museum are frequent. A monthly seminar series includes speakers from the world of diving from many different countries and concludes with an Antiques Roadshow-type event where participants can bring their old diving gear and have it appraised. There's also a Sunset Cinema film series that features documentaries as well as diving-related movies from popular culture. The series are free to the general public. In addition, the Museum of Diving History in Islamorada sponsors boat safety courses taught by Master Captains from the United States Coast Guard.

The History of Diving Museum is open most days except for a few major holidays and guided private individual and group tours are available if desired.