History of Diving Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 2000, opened 2005 |
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| Location | Islamorada, Florida. |
| Type | History of underwater diving |
| Founder | Joe Bauer and Sally Bauer |
The History of Diving Museum is a cool place in Islamorada, Florida, located in the beautiful Florida Keys. This museum shows off an amazing collection of old diving gear. You'll see lots of different diving helmets and other cool items that tell the story of how people have explored the underwater world over time.
How the Museum Started
This special museum was started by Joe and Sally Bauer. They were both doctors who had retired. Their interest in diving and the ocean began when they bought an old diving helmet by chance.
They loved learning about the ocean. Soon, they started collecting many different diving artifacts. In the year 2000, they began turning a storage building in Islamorada into a museum. The museum first opened its doors to visitors in 2005. By the next year, it was fully open and ready for everyone to explore. Joe Bauer passed away in 2007, but his wife Sally continued their important work.
What You Can See: Museum Exhibits
As of 2014, the museum had 13 different displays. These exhibits tell the long story of diving history. One of the oldest stories comes from the Epic of Gilgamesh. This ancient tale is about 3,000 to 4,000 years old!
You can learn about early diving pioneers. People like Edmond Halley and Karl Heinrich Klingert are featured. The museum has a very large collection of diving helmets. These helmets come from more than 20 different countries. You can even see special atmospheric diving suits. One famous suit is called "Iron Mike" from the 1930s.
Awards and Recognition
Sally Bauer has received some important honors. In 2011, she was added to the Women Divers Hall of Fame. This group recognizes amazing women in diving. She also received the NOGI Award in 2019. This award is one of the most respected in the diving world.
The mayor of Islamorada even declared January 12, 2019, as "Dr. Sally Bauer Day." Both Joe and Sally Bauer were also founding members of the Historical Diving Society. This society has branches in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Gallery
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"Parade of Nations", display of standard diving helmets from different countries
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Replica of John Lethbridge's 1715 underwater diving machine
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"Iron Mike" atmospheric diving suit of the 1930s
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Shallow-water diving helmets by Miller-Dunn
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Replica of the diving helmet invented by brothers John and Charles Deane in 1832
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Homemade diving helmet used in smuggling operations during prohibition
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