GREEN BAY (NBC26) — A Green Bay couple's mission to clean local waterways has led to an unusual museum exhibit featuring some of the strangest items found beneath Wisconsin's waters.
See the treasures they've unearthed for yourself in the video below:
Ed Bieber, known as "Ed the Diver," and his fiancée Christie Barlament have spent months diving into rivers and lakes to remove trash and recover lost objects. Their efforts have yielded everything from everyday litter to unexpected treasures that will soon be displayed at the Neville Public Museum.
"Bottles, line, some little toys, cameras, keys, phones, vapes, a baseball, all kinds of stuff," Bieber said, describing typical finds during their underwater cleanup missions.
After a year of preparation, the couple is ready to showcase some of their most unusual discoveries.
"This is our Lionel Richie bust that we found in the Wisconsin River in Rhinelander, Wisconsin," Barlament said.
The collection also includes weapons and pop culture artifacts.
"We do find guns once in a while, but one of my favorite finds besides a gun was this light saber," Bieber said.
Devyn McIlraith, exhibitions manager at the Neville Public Museum, has been organizing the recovered items for the upcoming exhibit.
"In essence, they are doing a form of urban archaeology," McIlraith said.
McIlraith said the decision to feature these underwater finds was a no-brainer.
"The point of our public museum is to make sure that we are the facilitators of the community's stories," McIlraith said.
Among all their discoveries, the couple's favorite story involves a Barbie doll Bieber found last year. The doll, nicknamed "Crandon Barbie," became an internet sensation and brought the couple together.
"Named her Crandon Barbie because she," Bieber said, with Barlament finishing the thought: "Smells like diesel fuel and what?"
"Racing fuel, beer, and freedom," Bieber completed.
The viral doll caught Barlament's attention online, leading her to purchase it from Bieber. He later presented it to her in a tackle box with a bow on her 40th birthday, asking her to dinner. The couple has been together ever since.
Bieber and Barlament said that anyone can contribute to waterway cleanup efforts. Their work demonstrates how individual actions can make a meaningful difference in protecting local rivers and lakes.
The exhibit opens Nov. 1 in the museum's community exhibit space. The museum accepts applications from community members with ideas for exhibits on its website.
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