Trip Ideas Attractions There's an Underwater Museum in the Middle of the Mediterranean Sea — Here's How You Can Visit Sightseeing below sea level. By Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Instagram Twitter Website Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on March 30, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Forget land-bound museums. Cyprus is taking things to the next level (or, shall we say, below sea level) by offering travelers the chance to check out a few epic statues beneath the ocean's surface. EMILY IRVING-SWIFT/Getty Images In August 2021, the Museum of Underwater Sculpture Ayia Napa (MUSAN) opened to the public, which features the work of sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. It is billed as the first underwater museum in the Mediterranean Sea. EMILY IRVING-SWIFT/Getty Images The museum — located 200 meters off the coast of Aiya Napa, a southeastern Cyprus resort town — is meant to resemble an underground forest and even has a few sculptures of children playing alongside sculptures of mystical characters. EMILY IRVING-SWIFT/Getty Images "The creative objective is to create a seamless link between the land and the ocean, combining two disparate wonders, one created by man and one designed by nature," reads the museum's website. "To develop a portal to the underwater realm that offers visitors ephemeral encounters with the natural beauty beneath the water's surface, delivering an otherworldly experience that illustrates the connectivity of man with nature, a hybrid organic form in harmony with its surroundings." EMILY IRVING-SWIFT/Getty Images According to the museum, the work also aims to bring attention to conservation and actively act as a new ecosystem for aquatic life to thrive. Over time, My Modern Met reported, the hope is that each sculpture will be covered in marine biomass, making each piece even more beautiful. EMILY IRVING-SWIFT/Getty Images "A collection of submarine figurative sculptures dispersed amongst a series of sculpted organic trees and subterranean plants will create the World's first underwater forest. A symbol to enhance the story of Ayia Napa's newly created Marine Protected Zone, whilst acknowledging the deforestation practices of the past," the museum's website explains. "The narrative questions if the next generation will reinterpret the symbiotic relationship between mankind and nature to provide a better balance in favor of nurturing fragile ecosystems, highlighting how positive human intervention in the oceans can shape a more sustainable and productive future." EMILY IRVING-SWIFT/Getty Images Guests are welcome to visit the museum on a scuba diving or snorkeling excursion. To visit, guests must make a reservation through one of the nearby registered diving schools. Though there is no fee to visit the museum, though local diving schools will each charge their own usage fees. Learn more about the museum and plan your visit here. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit