Mexico’s Underwater Museum You’ve Never Seen – Coexisting Harmoniously with Nature

Tourism Center / General Report

Have you ever imagined diving into cool, comfortable turquoise waters for a wild museum adventure? Located on Isla Mujeres, an island off the eastern coast of Mexico, there is an Underwater Museum. Next time you’re in Cancún, southeastern Mexico, be sure to visit this Caribbean underwater museum.

▲ Covering an area of over 4,500 square feet on the seabed of the Caribbean Sea, these life-sized sculptures were created by British-Mexican artist Jason deCaires Taylor. Due to threats to coral reefs from overfishing, rising sea temperatures, and marine environment destruction, Taylor’s goal is to divert tourists’ attention from the coral reefs to these sculptures, thereby reducing damage to the reefs. (Image / Screenshot frommusacancun.org)

▲ According to statistics, 750,000 tourists visit the coral reefs in the Caribbean waters of Cancún every year. These more than 400 permanent sculptures of local residents are part of the large-scale art installation “Silent Evolution,” aiming to redirect tourists’ focus away from the coral reefs. (Image / Screenshot frommusacancun.org)　

At the Cancún Underwater Museum in Cancún City, there are over 460 permanent sculptures created by Jason deCaires Taylor and other local artists. Taylor, who grew up in Europe and Asia with most of his childhood spent exploring Malaysia’s coral reefs, became a certified diving instructor and naturalist after graduating from the London Institute of Arts. With over 18 years of diving experience, Taylor is also an award-winning underwater photographer.

▲ The artwork “Man on Fire,” covered with numerous coral reefs, resembles a person engulfed in flames. (Image / Screenshot frommusacancun.org)

In 2006, Taylor established the first underwater park on the western coast of Grenada, and his latest creation is the MUSA Museum (Museo Subacuático de Arte) in Cancún.These artworks are not only artistic but also serve a very practical and functional purpose—they provide opportunities for positive interaction between humans and fragile marine habitats.For example, “Man on Fire” has become another home for coral reefs, and the design of the “Volkswagen” allows fish and marine life to enter through any gaps in the body or interior. The rounded Beetle-shaped form also enables the sculpture to withstand strong ocean currents and tropical storms, offering a safe living environment for creatures such as lobsters and crustaceans that inhabit it.

▲ The special concrete used in the sculptures attracts coral reefs and other marine life to grow on them, protecting a nearby coral reef that had been damaged by tourists, while also creating a clever fusion of art and nature. (Image / Screenshot fromhuffingtonpost)

▲ The “Urban Reef” series of artworks made from underwater concrete provide a secure home for marine life. (Image / Screenshot fromaquaworld.com.)

Here, you must wear a snorkel or scuba gear to witness this amazing blend of art and nature. Under the sea, these seemingly out-of-place artworks have been ingeniously transformed by their creators into habitats for marine life, shifting human interaction with nature from interference and destruction to encouraging harmonious coexistence and creating a sustainable wonder of the world.