MUSA - UNDERWATER MUSEUM

MUSA, or the Museum of Subaquatic Art, opened to the public on the 26th of November, 2010.  It was the brainchild of Dr, Jaime Gonzalo Canu from SEMARNAT and the artist Jason deCaires Taylor. The project was created to help protect the Manchones Reef from climate change and storm surges.  This site now makes Isla Mujeres home to the largest collection of artificial underwater art collections in the world. MUSA is an evolving collection that continues to grow. Upon completion, there will be 12 different subaquatic art galleries consisting of 1,364 artificial habitats. 

Jason deCaires Taylor creates these statues from a non-toxic, pH neutral marine grade cement. Taylor's innovation in marine sculptures has created a dive site to Isla Mujeres which as of 2022 includes over 400 statues that have been spread out to protect the Manchones Reef System. This installation will be growing to over 1,000 as talked about above. 

These statues not only promote rapid coral growth but also provide habitats to many different species of marine life. This enables divers and snorkelers to enjoy the vast diversity of life at an artificial reef which takes some of the stress off the natural reef of Manchones. At only 8 to 9 meters in depth, it is an excellent site for all levels of divers. It is also an interactive dive. At some of the houses, divers can use their regulator to blow bubbles out the chimneys. There is a “Frame” Sculpture that is a swim-through to practice your buoyancy and moving through spaces underwater. It truly has something for everyone.