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Cancun's Underwater Sculpture Museum

If there's one thing I've learned from my travels is that there's always more than meets the eye. The visitor to Cancun, Mexico, might plan the vacation around baking on the beach and water sports. But there's something else that awaits the traveler here - the largest underwater museum in the world, an environmental museum that combines human artistry with nature's beauty.

The Gardener of Hope

The underwater sculpture museum is located in the waters surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc and can be seen by scuba diving, snorkelling or from a glass bottom boat. The museum is still a work in progress and will eventually consist of over 400 permanent life-size sculptures, the total installation occupying an area of over 150sq metres and weighing over 120 tons.

The sculptures will have no negative effect on the local marine ecosystem, on the contrary, due to the PH neutral concrete they are made of, they will boost the growth of algae and small invertebrates. The appearance of the sculptures will constantly change over time as the coral reefs and marine life grows. The underwater museum is hoped to lure away from the natural coral reefs the hundreds of thousands of tourists that visit Cancun every year. The natural coral reefs have been damaged by both human action and nature itself and they need time to regenerate.

The project began in November 2009 when three sculptures were sunk - “Dream Collector”, “Man on Fire” and “The Gardener of Hope”. The Dream Collector features dozens of bottles containing messages of encouragement sent from around the world, while Man on Fire has 75 holes planted with fire coral. The small underwater garden "bloomed" for the fist time this year, when only three months old.

The sculptures were created by the British/Guyanese artist Jason de Caires Taylor and inspired from real people from the local community. Phase two of the project is happening now, with a themed exhibition called "The Silent Evolution". The last part of the project will include commissioned artists from all over the world.

Though definitely having an environmental touch and a brilliant idea at core, Mexico's underwater museum is not the only one in the world. In May this year China's Baiheliang Underwater Museum in Chongqing opened to the public. Egypt also plans an underwater archaeological museum in Alexandria that will host treasures belonging to Queen Cleopatra.

Underwater museums in Mexico

Photos: Jason de Caires Taylor

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