Reviews of History of Diving Museum (Museum)

Courtney Bug

Even non divers are really able to enjoy and learn from this non profit. Keep up the good work and I can't wait to come back!

Brian Kettman

This is a very cool museum to check out even if you are not "in to diving". To see the contraptions that people have placed themselves in to work and play underwater is pretty amazing. We had no idea the history of diving went back so far! The girl at the ticket counter was super sweet, and helped my granddaughter have an awesome time. They have a little scavenger hunt the kids can do which my granddaughter loved and ended up with a little prize at the end. We spent about two hours here which was a perfect way to spend some time waiting for the typical keys rainstorm to clear.

Riya tony

They have a helium gas bar. Which is fun to try

Keith L

Great little secret... Stop driving by and check it out

Neliza Drew

Really cool museum. Lots of interesting artifacts and stories laid out in a very interactive way. Friendly staff. Would love to spend a rainy afternoon in the library there carefully reading all the old books.

Larisa Thomas

Kid friendly!! There are hands on exhibits for kiddos! This place is absolutely awesome! So much to see and learn. My husband and I were there for over 2.5 hours. My favorite exhibit is a wall with helmets representing each country that manufactured them. The exhibit is narrated on tape by the curator, and each helmet is lit while facts are given.

Michael Meadows

Offers quite the venue of where our love of the sea started, under the waves exploring the ocean and how we as a species have developed adaptations to allow more time under water. From the earliest beginnings thru today's most advanced technology, you'll get to see where we've been, how we got there, and where we still have yet to explore... an engaging, thought provoking, and educational place to learn, explore, and entice future generations.

Sara

Dog friendly! Thank you for welcoming our dog! We had such a great time here! The history and exhibits were so interesting!!

Sincere Duncan Studios

Loved the collection! Thank you for having us

AJ McGuire

Fascinating! So many cool artifacts and great exhibits.

Erik Rosekrans

Incredible museum!! It's the work of two people (husband and wife- unfortunately he died shortly after the museum opened) and what an amazing museum they created! There's a great display on the history of diving (including free diving) and they have a truly impressive collection of diving helmets from all over the world (all in one display with narration on the history of the helmets). The museum shop is great as well (bought a spyglass!). I was really impressed with this museum and highly recommend a visit!

BRYAN VAN HUELE

What an amazing gem of a museum. Whoever put this place together has true love for this sport, activity and history. The artifacts inside are far superior than even Mel Fishers museum in Key West

ian small

Represented the history of diving extremely well. It had tons of physical items for less enthusiastic people as well as the literature to go along with it for the enthusiasts. I learned a lot and will now remember diving's past every time I put my regulator in my mouth.

David Nelson

Awesome chronological history of diving. Mostly real pieces with a few that are reproductions. Give yourself plenty of time to read the tons of information that is packed into this place. Recommended if you dive or have any interest in diving.

BRENO JACOB

Great place, a lot of history, one of the best spots to stop in key west road.

Dennis Haag

Great place to visit. A must for divers.

Dilenia Gomez

Nice little place. They provided the kids with a fun little scavenger hunt. Cool diving artifacts and displays.

Lukas Magnusson

Grate staff with lots of information! And the exhibition was loaded with fantastic things to se!

Liane Wong

Great information, knowledgeable staff, great gift shop!

Fritz Carter

Very good place to visit and learn the crazy history of diving. I learned a lot and was impressed with everything. A can't miss.

Jeff Dils

If your interested in diving history and 3,000 sq. ft. of exhibits, this is the place to go.

Erica Hale

Very educational, especially if you're a SCUBA driver and wanted to learn about the pioneer's of the sport.

Albert Endler

Very informative and educational

Matthew Oakey

Such a unique place and unique offerings directly representing the history of underwater exploration. Face to face and in touch with most all relics presented, a beautiful video and wonderful other informational presentations abound... one could speed through in 20 minutes, but it could take 2 hours or more for an enthusiast or just the naturally curious to truly enjoy and experience everything they have to offer. Definitely a must see for all water lovers !!!

Sharon Kocsis

A "must see" for anyone that loves diving and is interested at all in the history.

Martin Bateman

Great display of diving history

Mykala Ofsharick

Loved it! The staff were extremely helpful. We even brought coupon and got a really cool magnet! I thought the wall of diving bells was really neat. Must see in Isla Morada!

tina pulis

Definitely a must stop. Incredible collection.

Ryan Murphy

This museum is fantastic. It has a huge selection of commercial diving equipment and the staff is knowledgeable and incredibly pleasant.

adri g

A true gem! Loved it. Some amazing cool displays. A must see in the Florida Keys

Arionna Barajas

I must visit. The most interesting and interactive museum I've ever visited. I am partial to diving but I'll try not to let that influence my comments. The exhibit is amazing!! and the staff very pleasant to talk to. all through the museum there are perfectly maintained dive equipment and a ton of gadgets to touch and feel and even try on (not like any other museum I've been to) it takes you back to a period in human history when only the braves and most daring would venture into such an uncertain profession that was diving. I love this place! When I come back to visit, I most certainly will go back.

lynn sullivan

Ok

Dave Trelly

Neat place. Lots of cool items, big collection. A nice way to do a down or windy day

John Dunleavy

Really informative, nice layout, good collection for small museum

Matt McCurdy

Very cool museum. Too much dive antique equipment and history to take in!

Leslie Wilde

Very interesting. Worth stopping in for especially if you scuba/snorkel.

Jodi Curry

Cute little museum. Lots of artifacts.

Pablo Callepiedra

Excellent museum and staff! Great for the kids. So welcoming and extremely informative and educational. Highly recommend. The gift shop is fantastic. Make sure to ask about their most unique gifts!

Eric Kloock

Cool place, great great got kids and diving history.

Karolyn Power

Such a cool experience! We learned the most amazing things about diving history and treasure hunting

Russell Gregory

Great place, lots of history, if you love the sea, you need to check it out.

Randy Buckley

A lot of history in a small package.

andrew jarriel

Very educational and fun at the same time. There is a scavenger hunt for the kids which I did. See if you can find all the scuba men I found 10 the cashier said there are 14.

Kaydence Byrd

Super fun for all ages very interactive!

Sarah Jones

We spent an hour in the museum walking around and looking at everything before we even realised it, there's so much to look at and some interactive parts for the kids too.

N Holly

I'm not a diver but this place was extremely interesting not big and price was good to get in

Hunter King

We went into this blind, kind of expecting something enjoyably cheesy. Instead we got a very thorough museum with very thoughtful, impressive and intriguing artifacts. Really walks the line of having surprising and interesting material, occasional novelty, and teaching without boring. Seriously one of the best small museums I've ever seen.

Burgie Bridgewater

I'm a native of the British Virgin Islands, and have gone on many Diving excursions in multiple countries. Going to this museum is a MUST if you are into Marine Biology, Aquatics, and general knowledge of life below Sea Level. For $10-$12 per person i was blown away with all the artifacts this place has recovered over the years. I would have happily paid triple the price for admission and still felt that i got more than my money's worth. Joanne & Emily are the faces you are most likely to see when you enter the building, both will happily answer anything you could think of, and are very kind people to interact with. This place is amazing!

Neva Giannini

Lovely collection. We stopped in as it caught our interest driving by (knowing nothing about it), and looking to escape a hot afternoon -- we ended up spending several hours there! Extensive collection, well laid out with excellent educational signage. Some interactive stations as well. Excellent for all levels of interest, with a great flow allowing you to take as much or as little time as you want. I will say we were there on a quiet afternoon, but may be tight on a more crowded day. Lovely staff to chat with, both about their museum as well as the area and other things to add to the "must do" list. Great souvenir store as well with some unique items. Local artist exhibit set up during our visit in April 2019 was amazing as well. Would highly recommend stopping in - very little money for an interesting experience!

Richard Domke

Very wonderful

Bryan G

Really interesting museum full of original artifacts and diving apparatus from over 100 years ago up to today. You can spend 30 minutes breezing through or 2 hours looking, reading, watching videos, and playing with a few interactive displays. Well worth the $12 admission!

Aleksei Kukushkin

Excellent museum with amazing diving artifact collection. Must see for divers and everyone else.

Tiffany Duong

It's worth the time and money to come here. First off, this is such an eclectic, amazing collection of old diving and freediving gear. If you're a diver at all or interested in the underwater world and how people explore it, this is a must stop anytime you're in the Keys. Even if you're only mildly interested, the museum has so many great stories/quotes from people that it makes it a fun browse to walk through. There's also enough interactive exhibits for non-divers to still become engaged with the exhibits. I loved how informative, and clearly thought out the entire place was. It's very apparent that it's a labor of love. The gift shop alone is worth a visit. It's the best gift shop of any marine conservation spot in the Keys, I'd wager. They have unique ocean-themed stuff any diver would love. The staff are the best around. They're so welcoming and friendly, and truly love the museum. They made me want to volunteer (so I signed up!). They're also pet-friendly, so bring your furried ones here if you want! Finally, they have awesome monthly lectures about everything from corals to shipwrecks to marine sanctuaries. It's free to the public and always a good time. Pro tip: military discount, discount on website, and also in all the keys coupon books.

Nathan Philip

Very informative experience. The curators/owners are truly passionate about their work and it shows. Recommended even if you don't particularly care about diving, I sure learned a whole lot!

crystal wellman

Amazing place blast from the past

Helen Powers

Well done, an amazing amount of equipment and information, well worth the money and the time!

Paul Dias

If you're into diving it's a must see.

Mely Furney

Very interesting, very educational. We have fun.

Mike Thompson

Excellent museum based on a really remarkable collection of ancient and more modern diving equipment.

Michelle Gaydeski

I loved this museum! It was cool to learn how the early SCUBA equipment was fashioned after fire fighting gear! I really enjoyed seeing all the dive helmets from around the world. I also had a blast talking shop with other visitors! This collection is quite amazing---I highly recommend stopping in for a visit!

Amanda Rae Noss Smith

Amazing. So many things to see. We aren't even divers but really appreciated all of the history.

Kitty Hawk

Very interesting and for $12 it's affordable

Joan Cowan

It was very interesting an a valuable lesson in the history of diving. Even my friend who was a hard hat diver saw things he had never seen. He was a Master Chief in the Navy and taught diving. Excellent Museum

Lisa Vadis

Really cool museum with an extensive collection of diving related equipment. They have a dive helmet from every country that has made them. Great educational materials that is interactive and engaging! Neat space to spend a couple of hours!

Anu Karrimaa

So much fun and absolutely awesome service.

Joe Ruppel

Definitely worth the price of admission. Cool to see the technology and how it evolved over time.

Heidi Johnson

Very interesting and enjoyable trip!

Dalton McClain

Awesome experience! Loved the scavenger hunt!

Heather Thomas

Had a great visit here while our dive trip was cancelled due to rough seas. The staff encouraged finding particular items.

Steve Robbins

Very interesting. Well worth the stop

Janet Schaeffer

Neat place! The people working there were knowledgable, it was obvious how much they enjoy their work. Great experience.

Leah Temperle

Incredible! The history in that place gave me goose bumps.. I love to learn. This place could hold you for hours! If you like scuba diving and want to see and learn about scuba diving and its history from past to present then you need to visit this location. Great place. I will be back for sure!

Renee Bertucci

Great place to take in everything "diving". More than you would expect to see.Huge display of diving helmets. Monthly meetings are very informative. Must see.

Relnish

Very interesting even if you don't have an active interest in diving. Educational and fun for the while family, with very kind staff.

Jennifer Parkerson

Great place to explore when you are trying to beat the heat. Lots of interesting information and artifacts relating to diving. There is a scavenger hunt sheet for the kids if they are interested.

gabrielle linder

My friend really enjoyed this museum. There was just so much stuff crammed into a small place. There's another review on here of someone saying if you actually take the time to view each items and read the facts corresponding to it then you woukd be here for hours and he is correct. Don't forget to press the button for the diving helmet wall display. We almost didn't see it and would have missed out on a lot of good information. Great collection.

Forest Platt

If you're a fan of SCUBA or deep water diving, a history fan, or want to spend a fascinating day indoors this is the place to visit. The path through the exhibits starts at the beginning thousands of years ago and continues to the present day. Displays include extensive collections of helmets and gear, as well as hands on exhibits. It's a modest entry fee, it's easy to find on RT 1, and the staff are welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable.

Stefan Andren

It's much better than it sounds. Its definitely worth a visit. They have some swedish stuff as well.

Darcie Condelli

Great little museum. Glad we stopped!

Jamie Peterson

A great activity for all diving enthusiasts rain or shine! Can't wait to visit again!

Fred Porter

Well worth a visit & give yourself ample time to take it all in. Does a great job exploring the history with static, audio, video and hands on displays. The multiple hard shell suits was a highlight for me.

Roy Layton

This is a great Museum, be sure to stop in. We very much enjoyed our time chating with Emily.

Princess H

My hubby is a commercial diver and we enjoyed visiting here

alan chan

Very interesting. Worth it for a little diversion.

Mike Reilly

Very cool and educational. History covers all aspects of diving from ancient history to the present. A must see. We've made multiple trips through and plan to go again, highly recommended!

Bill Thomas

Great place to visit when in the Keys. Very nice presentation of diving history and unique equipment.

Kelly Harmon

Great place to learn about our underwater exploration

Robert Tassone

Well worth the visit to view the interactive exhibits. Fun explorer map for the kids to keep them interested. Well spaced and full of Information to read. Exhibits show early examples to current examples. Something for everyone.

Thgpresents01

A great experience for the family on an indoor day in Islamaroda!

Maria Lohmann

We were very surprised at how much there was to see. So much history and information. This is a must see for any diver or anyone interested in diving.

Heidi Hobbs

We LOVED this museum. We are not scuba divers but it was still very fascinating. Great collection, great history and very manageable size. We took lots of pictures. Well worth the $12 entry fee ($11 for seniors). It really exceeded our expectations. Nice, tasteful gift shop too with some unique items. Staff were so nice and friendly. SO glad we visited today.

Don Wilks

Brought the family on a rainy day. There was a ton of things to see and read, interactive enough for the kids, short enough for the wife...:).. Big bubbles no Troubles..

JoyfulPursuit

A must see if you're ever in the keys. Engaging for all ages!

chris bellido

A very interesting stop with a lot of information on diving. Just be prepared to read a lot. But we'll worth it.

Hannah Mulkern

Really cool experience! I'm not a diver, but I still had a good time learning about the history. Learned a lot and the staff were very friendly.

Rick Harris

Fun day at a look into diving!

Janet Godfrey

This was an amazing stop on our trip! You'll be happy you spent the time.

Andre Libroth

Great collection, all divers should stop by.

Wanda L

Really enjoyed this Museum, we have always passed by, but this last visit to Islamorada we decided to visit and it was pretty cool and inexpensive, i recommend you stop and see for yourself.

Lisa Moore

Great small museum with some interactive exhibits depicting the history of diving from BC times to the present.

Cadee Qiu

Loved the museum, it was very innovative and lots of cool stuff. Can't believe someone collected so many pieces of diving equipments! The staff was very sweet and if you read everything, the museum should take 1.5 hours. There's not much around the area though, not sure if it's worth a visit just on it's own.

Steven Brooks

Jammed packed exhibit

Stephen Harper

Great for the family to have some bond

Chris&Brandi Fulcher

Wonderful attraction! If you love to snorkel or dive, even if you are just looking for something to do, this place is a hidden gem!

Lilian Swope

We had a great and what history

Lis4 Hates

Oh my god this place is Amazing with a Capital A! Anything and everything about anything Diving is found here. Holy cow I did Not know diving had so much history. This is fun for the whole family especially the kids!

Jere Miles

Awesome place to visit with super friendly staff, accidentally dropped some papers there and the staff found me through Facebook to get the papers back to me.

Kevin Rame

This museum is well worth the time and money. If you have even a cursory interest in diving you will enjoy this museum. This is a great place to spend a rainy afternoon. I am definitely going back next time I'm down there.

rusty shackelford

great collection, displays are nice but a little cluttered, tons of information here, allow yourself some extra time. admission pricing is fine but gift shop needs some adjustment. Kinda hard to make an additional donation when you just paid that much for a t-shirt!

Jacek Starzynski

Nice place, interesting staff

Douglas Allen

Great exposure to the history of our favorite pass time

Jenn Henry

Had a great time. Kid friendly lol

Luca Marian

First off, make sure you have more than an hour to visit. We got here an hour before closing and even though they told us very kindly that we can stay past the closing time, you don't want to feel rushed. It's definitely worth taking your time to soak in all the incredible contraptions divers have created through the decades to achieve new depths. My favorite part by far was the wall of original, not replicas, of diving helmets from across the globe. With the push of a button, the wall lights up and tells you a little about each helmet and its origins. I was told the exhibit is constantly changing and that they were adding two new sections in the upcoming months. Will definitely visit again. Highly recommended.

dylan murphy

Really neat place, lots of actual diving gear, and some interesting interactive stuff. I wouldn't mind going again.

vito delorenzo

Was not expecting museum to be so good Well done

Alys BailBonds

It was a great experience. If your a history fanatic your going to love this place even if your not into diving.

Mark HC

Very, very cool if you're interested in some history of man venturing below the surface.

Michael in Mia

Wow....!! Really a hidden gem. I have passed this place on my way to Key West but never found time to stop. Boy, did I miss out! Absolutely fascinating. Quality exhibits which could keep you occupied for at least 2-3 hours.

Evan Pierce

This is an utterly amazing museum with a collection that rivals any on any subject in the world. The history of Diving is like a history of human technology, and there's such amazing, touchable pieces displayed in creative ways. I can't say enough about it - the team there, the experience, and the geeking out you and your kids will do. One of the best values at $12 per in the Keys.

Cat Huss

Nice museum about diving. My hubby was a navy diver and they did not have all the rigs ... completely missed a major model. But all in all a nice display easy access from main road.

Michele castano

We found this place interesting even though we do not dive. There are so many antique diving masks here and the history of how humans came to dive is fascinating. Plan an hour or so here.

Marissa Sabatino

Being that I'm a scuba diver I was really looking forward to this museum but at $12 a ticket it wasn't worth the price of admission. I'm all for supporting local businesses but it really wasn't worth the cost. I took tons of pictures so you can get an idea of what the museum has to offer.

HD Customer

Very interesting. Love looking at those old diving helmets and learning the history.

Gary Howe

Worth visiting. Well done museum.

David Wood

Way more detailed and interesting than I was told. I was plesantly surprised by the exhibits. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. They even have activities for kids.

James Cottrell

If you love diving, you will love this place. Early diving, over 50 helmets, treasure hunting and half dozen armored deep suits.

Ryan Park

Cool exhibits. Small but densely packed.

Tobi G

We went here on our way to Key West with our Children (3 and 5). We all liked it very much. There was a lot of History and many Diving Pieces from the Past untill the present. Also Videos to watch, Picture Spots and Stuff to do (like testing how long you can hold your breath). I would recommend this Place as a good Spot for a Break on the long way to Key West for People at all Ages. If you are not really in to diving i would calculate about 1 to 2 hours

Peter Oyegun

Great place for kids to learn about diving

Bridgette Russell

Great place! Great ladies willing to listen to my husband's Navy diving tails. He's got great stories and they seemed to love them!

Hector Velasquez

Very educational! A underrated place. Pass by when you can with time.

Tony Bugarin

A must see for diving enthusiasm, and people who likes the ocean life.

sunlando flo

Lady was super nice. School aged kids will enjoy it and take your time, lots to see.

Len Palmer

Small but packed with information. You could spend a couple hours just reading about the exhibits. Exhibit scavenger hunt to keep the younger kids interested. Very cool

Christine Larimore

We had a retired navy diver with us so it was super exciting and interesting since he used similar equilment

Tania Fisher

Best little museum. Our family really enjoyed our visit. It is well worth the the price of admission. $12 for adults

Endless Summer family

Very cool!! Went mainly because my husband wanted to go but ended up really enjoying it myself.

Bill McMillan

Very interesting museum on diving history. Amazing display of diving helmets from around the world.