If you ever dreamed of diving like Lloyd Bridges or Zale Perry, the late actors who played the legendary Mike Nelson of “Sea Hunt” and his costar(as well as his diving trainer), or famed underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, plan to attend the 2026 Vintage Dive Day on Saturday, April 11, at Key Largo’s MarineLab Undersea Park. 

Organized by the History of Diving Museum and the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), participants can gear up in a classic double-hose regulator and tour the MarineLab lagoon located at 51 Shoreland Drive in Key Largo. 

At noon, demonstrations using the classic U.S. Navy Mark V helmet and suit are scheduled. Attendees can see what diving looked like in the early 20th century, as Trident Surface Supplied Diving, LLC gears divers up in authentic World War II-era equipment weighing as much as 200 pounds. 

Brass Hat Divers will also demonstrate an open-bottom “Divinhood” made by the Miller-Dunn Company. These helmets was manufactured in Miami from 1915 through the 1940s and were used for early marine biology, ship husbandry, treasure hunting and underwater photography, allowing divers to explore Florida Keys coral reefs. 
Vintage dives are to take place every hour on the hour 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the exception of noon, when demonstrations with hard hat diving gear are scheduled. 

Divers, non-divers and landlubbers alike are invited to watch! Cost to dive with vintage gear is $50 per person and divers must be scuba certified. Other attendees are encouraged to give a $10 donation to help support the event. Representatives from the History of Diving Museum will be on-site for the day to share exciting Dive Into Art: Stories from the Sea programming and information on upcoming Museum events.   

Reserve dives at the store at DivingMuseum.org.  
​
The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Dive in to venture through 5,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” The Museum is open daily from 10AM-5PM and has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time Featured Exhibits as well as a Museum Store with unique gifts. Be sure to see Dive into Art: Stories from the Sea, open until April 15th, and filled with artwork from students across the Keys as well as from the Art Guild of the Purple Isles. Check out DivingMuseum.org for more details, or call (305) 664-9737.

Join the History of Diving Museum on Sunday, March 15 at 11 AM or 2 PM for a special guided tour of the exhibits! These tours are included in your admission price, and will feature special highlights of treasure divers and stories of salvaging sunken gold in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Come learn about the most valuable shipwrecks ever discovered, and what divers went through to retrieve such treasures.
 
Free admission is offered to active duty members of the military, and discounts are available for veterans, Florida Keys locals and seniors. Be sure to come see the Museum’s current featured exhibit Dive Into Art: Stories from the Sea before it closes on April 15th.
 
The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Divers and non-divers alike are amazed by over 5,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” The Museum has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time Featured Exhibits as well as a Museum Store with unique gifts. Check out DivingMuseum.org for more details, to become a member or shop online.

On Wednesday, March 18th, the History of Diving Museum will host a Member Mingle, as well as a lecture by Florida Keys historian and PhD, Dr. Corey Malcom. Learn about upcoming programs at the Museum and the benefits of membership before you learn the fascinating history behind German Navy forces in the Florida Keys during World War II.
 
Corey Malcom is the Lead Historian for the Florida Keys History Center, a section of the Monroe County Public Library tasked with the mission of exploring, preserving, promoting, and making accessible the history of Monroe County, Florida. Aside from historical research, Dr. Malcom has also conducted archaeological investigations of submerged historical sites throughout the Florida Keys. He was awarded a doctoral degree by the University of Huddersfield (England) for his research into the shipwrecked Spanish galleon Santa Clara, sunk in 1564.
 
During World War II, German U-boats terrorized shipping and tested homeland defenses throughout the greater Florida Keys. As significant as these events were, they were often kept out of the public eye and are not well remembered. Dr. Malcom’s presentation will explore the deadly activities of the submarines, the battles against them, and the reminders of their presence that remain today.
 
Are you already a member of the Museum or interested in becoming one? Before Immerse Yourself, the Museum’s Member Mingle will take place from 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM. Light refreshments will be served. Members of the Museum who bring in new signups as well as new members who join that night will receive a free gift. Be sure to stop by and see featured exhibit Dive Into Art: Stories from the Sea before it closes on April 15th! This incredible art display showcases works from artists throughout the Keys, both from students and the Art Guild of the Purple Isles. Each piece was inspired by fantastic nautical tales from around the world, and many of these pieces are available for purchase.
 
If you are interested in attending the Immerse Yourself lecture either in-person or online via Zoom, visit our homepage DivingMuseum.org to register. This session will also be recorded and posted to the HDM YouTube channel. The History of Diving Museum would like to thank this month’s Immerse Yourself sponsors: Bill & Janne Wissel, and the Newton Family.
 
The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Divers and non-divers alike are amazed by over 5,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” The Museum has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time Featured Exhibits as well as a Museum Store with unique gifts. Check out DivingMuseum.org for more details, to become a member or shop online.

This Valentine’s Day, join the History of Diving Museum for guided tours of the exhibits at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Come learn about famous underwater photographer couple Hans and Lotte Hass, and how local couple Drs. Joe and Sally Bauer created the Museum over 40 years of passionate collecting and research. Take advantage of the Museum’s buy one get one free admission promotion, which is valid only for Saturday, February 14th. Be sure to mention the Valentine’s Day promotion at the door to claim your free ticket.
 
On Wednesday, February 18th at 7 p.m. events continue with the Museum’s monthly free Immerse Yourself program. Join author and shipwreck expert John Christopher Fine as he takes us through the fascinating tale of the SS Springfjord. John is a Master Scuba Instructor and author who has dived on shipwrecks all over the world. His bibliography includes Treasures of the Spanish Main: Shipwrecked Galleons in the New World and Lost on the Ocean Floor: Diving the World's Ghost Ships. He has also written extensively on ocean pollution, and is the liaison officer of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. John is a fellow of the Explorers Club and a member of the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences.
 
In this presentation, John will take us through the story of the SS Springfjord, a ship sunk by the CIA as part of a coup designed to overthrow the elected government of Guatemala. The program will also cover the destruction of a protected biosphere by organized criminals to steal jadeite, the most valuable gemstone in the world found now only in quantity in Guatemala.
 
The History of Diving Museum will have extended hours on Immerse Yourself night, with the last admission at 6:45 p.m. The free presentation with John Fine will begin promptly at 7 p.m.
 
If you are interested in attending the Immerse Yourself lecture either in-person or online via Zoom, visit divingmuseum.org to register. This session will also be recorded and posted to the HDM YouTube channel. The Museum would like to thank this month's sponsors: EZ Storage and the Newton Family.
 
 The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Divers and non-divers alike are amazed by over 5,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” The Museum has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time Featured Exhibits as well as a Museum Store with unique gifts. Check out DivingMuseum.org for more details, to become a member or shop online.

​ISLAMORADA, Fla. — The History of Diving Museum and local performing artist Adrienne Z, in collaboration with students from Coral Shores and Marathon High Schools, is set to celebrate “Art Builds Community” with three February musical performances.
 
Beginning Friday, Feb. 6 at 5 p.m., the Blue Marlin Stage at mile marker 81.5 oceanside in Islamorada, is to debut original songs performed by Adrienne Z and students, followed by an inspirational reading of several blackout poems created from pages of the novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea.” Lyrics and music will showcase how the project was brought to life.
 
Blackout poetry is a form of found or erasure poetry that transforms an existing text by blacking out words to reveal a new poem, often offering satirical, personal or playful commentary on the original source.
 
After the event, the Florida Keys Brewing Co. has “Dive Into Art & Music” on tap, featuring an art exhibit/sale and musical tribute to Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead. The concert is to feature Rainbow Full of Sound, taking stage from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Created in 2012, when several “Dead Head” musicians decided to replicate the band’s 1980 Radio City Music Hall run, they have played ever since with a rotating cast of members. The evening is to include limited-edition Jerry Garcia art and merchandise, a food truck, and a Key Westys’ hippie van as well as raffles and silent auctions. The benefit concert is to support the “Dive Into Art: Stories From the Sea” featured exhibit at the History of Diving Museum, located at MM 83, bayside, in Islamorada.
 
On Wednesday, Feb, 11, the 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Marathon Chamber of Commerce “Business After Hours,” is to include a performance by Adrienne Z and blackout poem readings by students from Marathon High. The event is to take place at Crane Point Museum and Nature Center, MM 50 Gulfside.
 
The final celebration is to take place on Friday, Feb. 19, at the Eco-Discovery Center, 35 Quay Road, in Key West, again with a performance by Adrienne Z, a poetry reading and other program highlights from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
 
These events are made possible by the History of Diving Museum's sponsors and partners, including the Art Guild of the Purple Isles, Blue Marlin Jewelry, the Carolan Foundation, Crane Point Museum and Nature Center, Florida Art and Culture, Grateful Diver, the Jerry Garcia Foundation, Florida Keys Council of the Arts, Key West Art and Historical Society, Key Westys, NOAA, Silent World Dive Center, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and Wire Sculpture Live.

ISLAMORADA, Fla. — “Stories from the Sea.” the latest Dive Into Art featured exhibit, is set to open at Islamorada’s History of Diving Museum, with a free 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. reception and ribbon cutting, Wednesday, Jan. 21. The museum is located at mile marker 83, bayside, and the program is part of the facility’s “Immerse Yourself” lecture series, which will begin at 7:00 p.m.
 
Artists Adrienne Z and Diane Smith, of the Art Guild of the Purple Isles, are to discuss the creation of the project that required over 300 hours of volunteer time and included outreach programs to local schools. The duo is to also reveal information on the Art Guild’s future projects and partnerships with the Museum.
 
Dive Into Art: “Stories from the Sea” was fabricated in collaboration with the Art Guild whose members created an incredible assortment of artwork inspired by nautical tales from across the ages. Pieces are available for sale with proceeds benefiting the Museum. Alongside Art Guild members’ work are artistic creations by students throughout the Florida Keys.
 
The museum is also seeking contributions, for as little as $15, to help sponsor student artists showcased in the exhibit, according to Executive Director Lisa Mongelia.
 
“Dive Into Art: Stories from the Sea” was made possible and sponsored in part by the Carolan Foundation, Divers Alert Network, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, Florida Artist and Culture, Florida Keys Council of the Arts, Ocean Reef Conservation Association, the Newton Family, Silent World Dive Center, and generous donors on Giving Tuesday. 
 
Register for Immerse Yourself lectures either in-person or online via Zoom, at divingmuseum.org. This session is also to be recorded and posted to the HDM YouTube channel.

​Join the History of Diving Museum on Wednesday, December 17 for Merry Divemas and the final Immerse Yourself presentation of the year. The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m., with a celebration that includes photos and meet-and-greets with Scuba Santa, cookie decorating, ornament-making, and a holiday-themed scavenger hunt through the exhibits, which will have extended hours for the event. Merry Divemas is a free community event and does not require a reservation, but donations are appreciated. The event ends at 6:45, followed by Immerse Yourself at 7 p.m.
 
As Merry Divemas comes to an end, the History of Diving Museum will host Ken Nedimyer for a presentation on Aquaculture in the Keys. Ken Nedimyer is the founder of Reef Renewal International and the Technical Director for Reef Renewal USA, a Florida Keys based company focused on restoring coral reefs. He also helps manage Reef Renewal Foundation International, which is focused on developing coral nursery and replanting programs in the Caribbean. Ken has set up coral nursery and reef restoration programs in 15 countries around the world, and is actively working on developing new techniques for growing, propagating, and replanting corals throughout the Caribbean.
 
In this presentation, Ken will discuss the events that led to the development of the Florida Live Rock Aquaculture program, and go into the process of developing a live rock aquaculture farm in the Florida Keys. He will also discuss how an exemption in the live rock aquaculture program opened the way for the development of Florida’s first offshore coral nursery in 2002.
 
If you are interested in attending the Immerse Yourself lecture either in-person or online via Zoom, visit divingmuseum.org to register. This session will also be recorded and posted to the HDM YouTube channel. The Museum would like to thank this month's sponsors: Bob Murray and Barbara Overton, and the Newton Family.
 
The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Divers and non-divers alike are amazed by over 5,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” The Museum has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time Featured Exhibits as well as a Museum Store with unique gifts. Check out DivingMuseum.org for more details, to become a member or shop online.

On Wednesday, November 19th, the History of Diving Museum will host Dr. Jack Stein Grove as he presents on William Beebe in the Galápagos at 7 p.m.
 
2025 marks 50 years of active conservation work and research for Dr. Jack Stein Grove. Employed as a naturalist, dive master, and expedition leader across the seven seas, Jack has explored many of the most remote regions of the world’s oceans. For 7 years, he lived aboard the ship Bucanero in the Galápagos, working as a naturalist guide for the National Park Service, and doing research for the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and the Instituto Nacional de Pesca in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
 
His seminal book, Fishes of the Galápagos Islands, was published in 1997, and is the only comprehensive book of its kind. Today, Dr. Grove’s dedication to conservation, education, and research continues in his role as Executive Director of the East Pacific Corridor Alliance (EPCA). Join Dr. Grove as he takes us through William Beebe’s original research in the Galápagos Islands and what the islands and their creatures look like today.
 
Prior to Immerse Yourself, the Museum will hold their November Member Mingle. Museum members and potential members alike are invited to see Celebrating 20 Years Featured Exhibit and enjoy light refreshments. New members will receive a free hat or shirt, as will members that refer them. The Member Mingle takes place in the exhibits from 5:30 PM to 6:45, followed by Immerse Yourself.
 
If you are interested in attending the Immerse Yourself lecture either in-person or online via Zoom, visit divingmuseum.org to register. The Charles Darwin Research Station has also been invited to join virtually. This session will also be recorded and posted to the HDM YouTube channel. The Museum would like to thank this month's sponsors: the Misso Family and the Newton Family.
 
 The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Divers and non-divers alike are amazed by over 5,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” The Museum has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time Featured Exhibits as well as a Museum Store with unique gifts. Check out DivingMuseum.org for more details, to become a member or shop online.

Celebrate legendary Florida Keys treasure diver Art McKee’s birthday with guided tours at the History of Diving Museum! Renowned for recovering thousands of artifacts from the wrecks of the 1733 Spanish treasure fleet, Art “Silver Bar” McKee co-invented the underwater metal detector and was known for diving with a Miami-made Miller Dunn diving helmet and sneakers.
 
Guided tours will take place at both 11 AM and 2 PM on Sunday, November 2nd. These tours will highlight the Museum’s many fascinating exhibits and feature a special showcase of Art McKee and other Florida Keys treasure divers’ stories. These tours are included with your admission, and if you are already a member of the Museum, there is no additional charge.
 
The History of Diving Museum is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, with guided tours taking place once a month. Tours run for approximately one hour. Private tours are also available upon request with at least two weeks’ notice.
 
The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Divers and non-divers alike are amazed by over 5,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” The Museum has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time Featured Exhibits as well as a Museum Store with unique gifts. Check out DivingMuseum.org for more details, to become a member or shop online.

Join the History of Diving Museum for its fourth annual Treasure Treat Night! This event includes trick-or-treating through the Museum's haunted exhibits as costumed staff dole out candy, toys, activities, stickers, and fun historic facts. A costume contest with prizes for the three winners will take place at 6:15 PM. A raffle will also be held for additional prizes. This event is free to the public, with a $5 suggested donation. Join us for a night of spooky, Halloween fun!
 
The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Divers and non-divers alike are amazed by over 5,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” The Museum has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time Featured Exhibits as well as a Museum Store with unique gifts. Check out DivingMuseum.org for more details, to become a member or shop online.