The World’s Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

The World’s Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

Ah, Cancun. The sun. The beaches. The shopping. The tequila shots. The drunken college kids on spring break. The massive underwater sculpture park?

Even some of those familiar with the attractions Cancun offers above sea level are surprised at what they can find underneath it: a museum. The Museo Subacuatico de Arte, to be specific.

underwater museum s The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park follow me on pinterest button The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park The museum — which began as an art project abstractly titled “The Silent Evolution” — is not the first underwater sculpture park some sources claim it to be. That distinction goes to a set of sculptures off the coast of Grenada. However, Cancun’s MUSA is easily be the world’s largest. It contains more than 400 life-sized sculptures.

The sculptures that comprise this waterfull exhibit are located at a variety of depths. Many are accessible to snorkelers. Some are viewable from glass-bottom boats. But the cool way to explore the whole of the sculpture garden is to scuba dive.

The primary purpose of the sculpture garden is environmental. The sculptures are made from a special concrete that’s PH neutral and anti-corrosive. The idea being that the sculptures will eventually form artificial corals and support a variety of marine life. There’s also hope that the touristic value of the underwater sculpture garden will draw people away from the over-visited and severely degraded natural corals of the nearby West Coast National Park.

[ ALSO ON SCS: The Underwater Art Gallery of Key West ]

The concept behind Cancun’s underwater museum is undeniably cool. The artistic value of the sculptures, well, that’s more debatable. Virtually all the sculptures feature life-sized casts of humans. Some are posed in artistic arrangements (like the ring of standing figures in the top photo). But most sculptures resemble stone people in everyday situations: lying asleep, riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard and so on. The whole thing is like an underwater version of lava-hardened city of Pompeii. To us it’s all very creepy.

Still, the Cancun underwater sculpture park is not the creepiest place we’ve seen in Mexico. That honor goes to the Isla De Las Muñecas—the Island of Dolls.

space The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

Where to stay: At the time of writing the Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort had rooms for between an absurdly cheap US$69 and a more-than-reasonable $105 per night. We are also fans of the five-star Le Meridien. As for budget options, there’s no beating the communal feel and and bargain-basement rates of the Hostel Quetzal.

updated: 12 Aug 2013
white The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

LEARN MORE (Spanish only) | FIND CANCUN GUIDEBOOKS |

More travel posts from Spot Cool Stuff

 The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park
The Best Websites for Booking Discount Caribbean Vacations
Swimming With Whale Sharks off Isla Holbox
The World’s Only Two Cavern Restaurants ← one’s near Cancun
Barefoot Running and Travel Shoes
The Best Waterproof Cases for the iPod and iPhone
A Review of Inexpensive, Yet Cool, Caribbean Hotels

cancun underwater museum 2 The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park follow me on pinterest button The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

cancun underwater museum 3 The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park follow me on pinterest button The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

cancun underwater museum 5 The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park follow me on pinterest button The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

cancun underwater museum 4 The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park follow me on pinterest button The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

lightgrey The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park


space The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park
lightgrey The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park
space The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park
space The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

LEARN MORE | CANCUN VACATION DEALS | JOIN US ON TWITTER / FACEBOOK

Elsewhere on the web:



 The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

intra sandals The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park

space The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park


Responses

  1. Linda Larsson says:

    Imagine in 200 years if these statues still will be there!

    [Reply to this comment]

  2. Laura in Cancun says:


    Twitter:
    Pretty awesome idea! But I have to agree, I wish they would have more sculptures of non-human subjects, just to mix things up. Hopefully it will help out the reefs off the coast of Quintana Roo in the long run.

    [Reply to this comment]

Leave a Response

CommentLuv badge

SPOTCOOLSTUFF Travel reviews unusual hotels and restaurants, great attractions, cool travel gear, places with amazing views and all manner of travel destinations with a WOW! factor. Because we live on an incredible planet! Get our latest travel posts by email . . .

    Awesome Curacao vacations — up to $530 off!
    Check out the freebies offered too, including airfare credits, breakfast and room upgrades!

Save $530 Time left:
Book Now!
Offer Closed!



PARTNER WITH US     |     BE OUR GUEST TRAVEL WRITER    |      SUGGEST COOL STUFF FOR US TO REVIEW     |     INFO FOR TOURIST BOARDS

Other SCS SectionsHot Travel CategoriesFave Travel Posts
Cool Tech & GadgetsBest hotel room viewsCaribbeanBest Sandals in Jamaica
Cool Architecture & DesignFamily travelEuropeBest Wheeled Carry-On Luggage
Cool WebsitesHoneymoon resortsFloridaWorld's Coolest Airlines
Cool EntertainmentUnusual museumsSoutheast AsiaThe Honeymoon Resorts of Bora Bora