The International Swimming Hall of Fame, currently located at 1 Hall of Fame Drive (one block south of Las Olas Blvd. on A1A) in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida is an international showplace for swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized swimming. The museum and library contain the world's largest collection of aquatic memorabilia and the single largest source of aquatic books, manuscripts and literature. Facing the ocean, the International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum and Exhibition Hall, an elevated wave-shaped building, houses over 40 exhibits illustrating the history of aquatic sports, the world's greatest swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized swimming performers. Olympic swimmer and Tarzan movie star, Johnny Weissmuller, was inspirational for the earlier years of the museum. Another movie star swimmer was Esther Williams in films such as "Million Dollar Mermaid". Mark Spitz's starting block which he used to win six of his seven 1972 Olympic gold medals is on view, plus over 60 Olympic, uniforms, warm ups and swim suits. The first automatic timing machine to determine close races can be seen along with the modern system of today. Visitors may role-play both the starter and timer in a hands-on experience of timing. There are also tributes to American Presidents who were swimmers: Ronald Reagan, who captained his college swim team and is also credited with saving 77 lives as a lifeguard in his hometown of Dixon, Illinois; John F. Kennedy was on the first Harvard swim team to beat Yale. Facing the IntraCoastal Waterway, the two story, original Hall of Fame building houses the Tripp Family Art Gallery, Henning Library and Archives. Between the two buildings, the ISHOF Aquatic Complex, the only one of its kind in the world, has two 50-meter pools, a diving well and swimming flume.
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