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While
they
both
practiced
medicine
as
a
career
(he
was
a
surgeon
and
she
was
an
ER
doctor)
a
pair
of
BW
grads
discovered
another
shared
passion
in
the
deep
blue
waters
of
South
Florida.
Upon retirement from medicine, Dr. Sally Bauer '66, a BW biology graduate, and the late Dr. Joseph Bauer '52 elevated their longtime interest in marine biology, scuba diving and diving history by opening the world-class, nonprofit Florida Keys History of Diving Museum.
The Bauers' museum holds the record for largest diving museum and continues to add to its exhibits and assorted collections of diving equipment from over 30 countries, which the Bauers collected over the span of 40 years.
"The museum is not just for divers - it's for anyone who wants to know more about man's quest to explore under the sea," Bauer said in a Keys Voices article.
From immersive experiences to presentations and lectures, this not-for-profit educational institution has more than exhibits, which lead museum goers through over 4,000 years of diving history. There is also an extensive research library that houses over 2,500 books and other materials for students, diving enthusiasts and researchers.
Bauer
ensures
that
her
late
husband's
legacy
lives
on
by
dedicating
the
museum
to
him
and
continuing
to
add
to
the
collection.
"My
challenge
for
the
rest
of
my
life
is
to
put
this
history
down
so
it's
not
lost,"
she
told
Island
Jane
Magazine.
"There
are
many
more
stories
we
want
to
tell
about
diving
history."
To honor her lifetime of dedication, Bauer was inducted into the prestigious Women Divers Hall of Fame in 2011. Members are the pioneers, leaders, innovators and world record holders throughout the international diving community.
Both of the Bauers were founding members of the International Historical Diving Society of both the United Kingdom and the United States, both extensively lectured and published on diving history and marine biology, and shared their passion in local schools.
