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Santa Barbara, CA – The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is thrilled to announce that the newly unveiled Deepwater Diving Monument was selected as the 2025 Art in Public Space winner by Santa Barbara Beautiful. The striking bronze sculpture, located at 132-A Harbor Way on the waterfront, honors the city’s deepwater diving legacy and commemorates Santa Barbara as the birthplace of commercial mixed-gas diving.
Designed by local sculptor Greg Polutanovich, the eight-foot bronze diver, complete with a granite base, captures the spirit of 1980s commercial diving and features the iconic Kirby Morgan Superlite 17 helmet. Since its unveiling in April, community response has been overwhelmingly positive, recognizing the monument as both a historical tribute and a cultural landmark.
“It honors all the diving pioneers and our city as the birthplace of deepwater commercial diving,” said Diving Monument Committee Co-Chair Don Barthelmess. “Coming together from private donations, the sale of fine-art statuettes, and Santa Barbara Maritime Museum serving as fiscal agent, this monument stands as a visible testament to Santa Barbara’s diving innovation.”
“Together we have created something truly remarkable – a monument that celebrates a defining moment in our nation’s diving history and recognizes the ingenuity, courage and dedication of all those who have contributed to the evolution of deep-water diving. This remarkable public-art installation educates both residents and visitors about our city’s undersea heritage and groundbreaking contributions to international commercial and military diving,” added Diving Monument Committee Co-Chair Leslie Leaney.
The Deepwater Diver Monument will be celebrated at Santa Barbara Beautiful’s 60th Anniversary Awards Ceremony on Sunday, September 28, at the historic Alhecama Theatre.
About the Monument
- Location: Adjacent to Santa Barbara Harbor, beside the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
- Height: 8-foot bronze diver atop 2-foot granite base
- Theme: Celebrates the launch and global impact of commercial mixed-gas diving initiated from Santa Barbara in the 1960s
Join the Celebration!
Attend the award ceremony and support this enduring tribute to maritime innovation on Sunday, September 28, at the Alhecama Theatre. For more about the monument and its legacy, visit sbmm.org.
About SBMM:
Founded in 2000, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the maritime history of the Santa Barbara Channel. SBMM is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and has been recognized by Marina Life Magazine as one of the top 10 maritime museums in the United States.
