Join the History of Diving Museum to celebrate Vintage Diving Days on August 19 and 20 with Double Feature, back to back Movie Nights. The Museum will be hosting a screening of select Sea Hunt episodes during the Morada Way Art Walk on Thursday August 19th, along with a specially curated pop up exhibit about this show and its impact on diving history. On Friday August 20 there will be a special screening of a vintage, classic underwater movie at the Florida Keys Brewing Co.
Sea Hunt was a 1950s TV show about the underwater adventures of an ex-Navy frogman, played by Lloyd Bridges. The show revolutionized public perceptions about diving and featured impressive underwater feats. The museum will be screening short episodes of Sea Hunt on August 19 during Art Walk, Morada Way Arts and Culture District’s signature monthly event. The screening will be happening outdoors at Portside Gallery and Studio’s yard in Islamorada, 81888 Overseas Hwy, and viewers can stop by anytime between 6:00 and 9:00 PM.
On Friday August 20, the festivities begin at 7:00 PM in the beer garden at Florida Keys Brewing Co. as the museum hosts the screening of a 1954 monster movie with astounding underwater scenes and stunts. Once again, Museum staff will be on hand with information about the importance of the film and diving in pop culture. The movie will start at 8:00 PM, but come early so you don’t miss any of the fun. There will be Activity Guides for the kids and Bingo for the adults. Purchase passes for the Museum and receive a special gift. The brewery is located at 81611 Old Highway, Islamorada.
Vintage Diving Days is a collaboration with the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), celebrating the pioneers of diving and vintage gear. The events are free to the public and no registration is required. During Vintage Diving Days there will be an opportunity to sign up for a dive using vintage double hose regulators with NAUI instructors coming in December.
Sea Hunt and other classic underwater shows and movies are featured in the current temporary exhibit, Diving In Pop Culture, on view at the History of Diving Museum through December 2021. The exhibit features books, movies, TV shows and video games and explores the impact pop culture has had on modern diving.
And, don’t forget about the monthly Immerse Yourself presentations on the third Wednesday of every month. The August event is on the 18th, with Terrance Tysall, NAUI’s Vice President of Training Worldwide, vintage diving enthusiast and underwater explorer. He will be speaking about his experiences diving in some of the most remote places around the world, including shipwrecks and cavern diving. One of the only divers to explore the wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald, Tysall is one of the underwater world’s most accomplished explorers. The presentation will be virtual, and you can email programs@divingmuseum.org to register and request the zoom link. This month’s event is sponsored by The Surgery Center.
The History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Islamorada (MM83). Open from 10-5 everyday, it is a must see for anyone traveling along Overseas Highway. Divers and non-divers alike are amazed by over 4,000 years of “the quest to explore under the sea.” Special events and programs tied to Diving In Pop Culture will include lectures, a children’s book club, film screening, and more.