Today, almost everyone has the opportunity to visit a museum and see with their own eyes the tools of ancient people, personal belongings of historical figures and much more. Even the most modest cities have small museums, so it is unlikely that this will surprise anyone. But did you know that there are places in the world where you need to dive underwater to see ancient works of art and even entire buildings? Underwater museums can be found in different corners of our planet. In some of them, visitors are offered to dive with scuba gear, and in others – to descend to great depths inside special devices. We present to your attention the five most interesting museums that are located deep underwater.
In some corners of the planet there are museums that are underwater
Contents
- 1 Underwater Museum in Mexico
- 2 The First Underwater Museum in Europe
- 3 Underwater Museum of Military Equipment
- 4 Ship Graveyard in the USA
Underwater Museum in Mexico
One of the most amazing underwater museums in the world is located off the coast of Mexico – this is the Muse Underwater Sculpture Museum (MUSA). It was opened in 2010 and is located in the waters of Isla Mujeres.
A scuba diver at the Muza Underwater Museum. Image source: matadornetwork.com
At a depth of two to ten meters, this museum features more than 500 sculptures that create a true underwater world of art. These sculptures are made of a unique material – “marine concrete”, specially designed to withstand salt water.
The exhibits of the underwater museum are made of “sea concrete”. Photo source: rotasenin.com
There are no ancient sculptures in this museum, all the works of art are created by contemporary artists. The Muse project was created not only for beauty, but also to draw attention to the environmental problems associated with mass tourism. First of all, the creators wanted to tell the world how bad it is when tourists litter everywhere.
Each exhibit in the museum carries a message. Photo source: rotasenin.com
The museum consists of two galleries: Manchones and Punta Nizuc. The first gallery is the largest and includes the famous Silent Evolution composition, which is 450 life-size human figures. Over time, these sculptures become covered with corals and algae, symbolizing the fusion of man with nature. The faces of the figures are made from casts of real people, among whom you can find both representatives of the Mayan people and modern men and women. This gallery is only accessible to experienced divers, but the impressions it leaves are truly unforgettable.
Composition “Quiet Evolution”. Photo source: trektrip.ru
Part of the composition “Silent Evolution”. Photo source: artdoart.com
If a person is not ready for scuba diving, there is an alternative – excursions on glass-bottomed boats, which allow you to see part of the exhibition without having to dive.
The very first underwater museum in Europe
In 2016, Europe's first underwater museum, Museo Atlantico, opened off the coast of the Spanish island of Lanzarote. It was created by British sculptor and diver Jason de Caires Taylor. At a depth of about 15 meters, visitors can see about 300 life-size figures. These sculptures are located on an area of 2,500 square meters, and each of them tells its own story related to social and environmental problems of the modern world.
The Museo Atlantico is made up almost entirely of human figures. Photo source: pinterest.com
One of the most striking and impressive installations is the “Raft of Lampedusa.” It is dedicated to the tragedy of African refugees who risk their lives trying to reach the shores of Europe.
Composition “The Raft of Lampedusa”. Photo source: turizm.ru
Another important work is Disconnected, which shows a couple in love, immortalized in the moment of a selfie. In this work, Taylor touches on the theme of social media addiction and alienation in the digital age.
Composition “Disconnected”. Photo source: pinterest.com
In this museum you can also see the monumental composition “Crossing the Rubicon”, in which more than 30 figures walk towards the fence, symbolizing the conventionality of borders and obstacles that separate people.
Composition “Crossing the Rubicon”. Photo source: underwatersculpture.com
This museum is not only an art object. The sculptures, made of special inert concrete, are safe for the environment and over time become covered with algae, attracting marine life. Thus, the museum serves not only a cultural but also an ecological purpose – it helps to increase marine biomass and attract more marine life to the desert waters where it is located.
Read also: Archaeological finds that still have no explanation
Underwater museum of military equipment
In 2019, a unique underwater museum of military equipment opened off the coast of the Jordanian city of Aqaba. At a depth of 20 to 30 meters, there are 19 units of military equipment: tanks, armored personnel carriers, anti-aircraft guns and even a combat helicopter. This amazing exhibition attracts both experienced divers and lovers of excursions on glass-bottomed boats. All exhibits were carefully cleaned of hazardous substances so as not to harm the environment.
A submerged tank. Photo source: mir24.tv
Like the previous museums, this underwater museum not only offers a fascinating spectacle, but also contributes to the preservation of coral reefs, distracting tourists from fragile natural ecosystems.
The military equipment was submerged on purpose. Image source: hindustantimes.com
Among the most interesting objects are the British Chieftain tank, the South African Ratel armored personnel carrier and the American FV104 ambulance armored vehicle.
A selection of photographs: planes, tanks and ships rotting in different parts of the world
A ship graveyard in the USA
The Florida Keys are an archipelago of 1,700 small reef islands, each with its own secrets. Although there is no official underwater museum here, this place has long attracted the attention of experienced divers. On the bottom of the coast, you can find a real ship graveyard, in which both Spanish ships from the 16th century and vessels from the Second World War are buried.
It goes without saying that many ships have already been destroyed. Photo source: korabley.net
Diving in the waters of the Florida Keys is a real challenge for those who are up for the challenge. The depth and strong currents require divers to have a lot of experience and reliable equipment, but the spectacle that opens up at the bottom is worth all the effort.
There is almost nothing left of some ships. Photo source: korabley.net
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Of course, there are other underwater museums, but these are the most interesting and worthy of your attention. Traveling to such unusual places is available to anyone with curiosity and money. But there are also places that even the richest people in the world cannot get to. Want to know what these secret corners of the Earth are? Then read our article “5 places on Earth where you will not be allowed for any amount of money”.