There Is An Underwater Museum In Mexico And It's Absolutely Amazing

The sea surrounding Cancun, Mexico is home to more than your usual oceanic wildlife. There is an entire underwater museum to be discovered that many people have never heard of, and it has a mission beyond just the enjoyment of divers.

MUSA or the Museo Subacuático de Arte was founded in 2009 to create an artificial habitat that will attract coral and other marine life to regenerate the reef structure around Cancun and also to increase the biomass on an epic scale.

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Roberto Díaz Abraham, former President of the Cancun Nautical Association, and Jaime González Cano, Director of the National Marine Park, are the brains behind the extensive project. They brought English sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor on board to create the 500 life-sized sculptures that now inhabit the magical space under the sea. The artist specialises in underwater installation and his work is on view across the world, including in the oceans surrounding Bali and Norway.

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The larger purpose of the museum is to demonstrate that art and environmental science can be very much intertwined, and that art can actually help save the sea.

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All of the works in the underwater sculpture garden are attached to the seabed below and constructed from specialised materials that promote coral life. The museum covers an area of over 420 square meters and, were they weighed together, the artworks would be over 200 tons.

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An amazing project in an amazing part of the world, MUSA is a must-visit if you love art and nature.

About the author

India Irving

Social Media Editor

Born and raised in LA, India studied Drama at the University of Southern California before shifting her focus to the visual arts. After moving to London in 2013, she co-founded the iOS app ArtAttack which focused on connecting emerging artistic talent with galleries and collectors. Following that she worked at Albany Arts Communications, a boutique Art PR firm in Fitzrovia before joining Culture Trip. Aside from art and theatre, India's other passions include travel, food, books and dance.