Cancún Underwater Museum

The Cancún Underwater Museum (Museo Subacuático de Arte, MUSA) is an underwater sculpture museum in the Mexican Caribbean off Cancún and Isla Mujeres, created to combine contemporary art with marine conservation. The project installs submerged sculptures that act as artificial reef structures to encourage coral growth.

More than several hundred life-size and cast sculptures are arranged across multiple submerged galleries and sites, placed at various depths suitable for snorkelers and scuba divers. Works by lead sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor and other artists form scenes and figures that divers can swim around, with plaques and guides provided by tour operators.

The museum also functions as a conservation initiative rather than a conventional dry gallery; the materials and placement are selected to promote marine colonization and to divert visitor pressure away from natural coral reefs.

MUSA was launched in 2009 through a partnership between artists, environmental organizations, and local authorities to provide new habitat and relieve stress on nearby natural reefs. Since its inception additional sculptures and installations have been added and monitored for reef development and tourism impacts.

Installations lie offshore of Cancún’s Hotel Zone and around Isla Mujeres in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, accessed only by boat from Cancún or Isla Mujeres.

• Conservation purpose: Sculptures are intended as artificial reef structures and are visited by snorkelers and scuba divers on guided tours; touching or removing pieces is prohibited.
• Visiting tip: Best visited by guided boat tours that include snorkel or dive options; currents and marine conditions affect accessibility and visibility.

What to See #

• Punta Nizuc gallery: Punta Nizuc gallery located off the Hotel Zone of Cancún, featuring submerged works arranged along reef-friendly bases to encourage coral growth.
• Isla Mujeres gallery: Isla Mujeres gallery positioned off the shore of Isla Mujeres with sculptures installed at shallower depths for snorkel and dive access.
• Dispersed installations: Additional dispersed installations and newer works placed to create habitat and draw divers across multiple reef sites in the Cancún-Isla Mujeres area.