History of Diving Museum

"The Florida Keys are a haven for scuba divers. The islands are surrounded by the purple reefs that gives Islamorada its name and a wide variety of marine animals. But what’s a diver to do on a day when the seas are a bit too rough, or they need to off-gas the nitrogen in their system? Opened in 2005 by two passionate divers, Drs. Joseph and Sally Bauer, the History of Diving Museum houses a vast array of diving equipment. The collection includes everything from recreations of diving historical methods—including a one-person submarine fashioned from a wooden barrel—to the present day, with an emphasis placed on commercial diving. The museum’s exterior belies its internal size. There are a surprising number of exhibits, spanning underwater photography, deep sea exploration, helping the disadvantaged to dive, diving’s most famous depictions in pop culture, and coral reef restoration. It also houses an extensive reference library of diving-related material and hosts guest speakers monthly." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

"While nearby Key Largo is known as “The Diving Capital of the World,” the History of Diving Museum travels far beyond the Florida Keys —and even America—to trace humankind’s long love affair with the sea. It’s a surprisingly lengthy history, and one full of mesmerizing items that some people might not think would make for a memorable outing. The museum houses photographs, documents, suits, diving apparatus, and the world's largest collection of diving helmets—some of which look like they came straight from the set of Doctor Who . Because the museum is just a simple turn off the highway, it may seem like a few people just decided to stop to stretch their legs a bit. But once inside, the variety of things to do and see keeps them in place, perhaps for longer than they expected." - Jennifer M. Wood, Terry Ward

"While nearby Key Largo is known as “The Diving Capital of the World,” the History of Diving Museum travels far beyond the Florida Keys —and even America—to trace humankind’s long love affair with the sea. It’s a surprisingly lengthy history, and one full of mesmerizing items that some people might not think would make for a memorable outing. The museum houses photographs, documents, suits, diving apparatus, and the world's largest collection of diving helmets—some of which look like they came straight from the set of Doctor Who . Because the museum is just a simple turn off the highway, it may seem like a few people just decided to stop to stretch their legs a bit. But once inside, the variety of things to do and see keeps them in place, perhaps for longer than they expected." - Jennifer M. Wood