Museo Subacuático de Arte

The Underwater Museum of Art (MUSA) is a unique aquatic museum located in the National Marine Park in the areas of Cancun and Isla Mujeres. The creation of British-born sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, the museum features hundreds of life-size sculptures. Snorkelers can enjoy the artificial reef at the shallow Punta Nizuc gallery in Cancun, while divers can explore the deeper gallery found at Isla Mujeres.

Wrecks

One of the best diving experiences in Cancun is exploring the many wrecks off the coast. The wrecks are all teeming with marine life and colorful flora and some are even suitable for penetration. However, these artificial reefs usually lie deep and divers are required to have experience with this type of diving.

Marine Life

Whale sharks and nurse sharks are, without a doubt, the stars of Cancun’s marine wildlife. During the months when the huge whale sharks come to feed, it’s a common practice for divers to swim alongside them. Apart from sharks, dolphins, eels, lobsters, sea urchins, sailfish, and different species of sea turtles are also common encounters.

The Reef

The reef surrounding Cancun is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-largest barrier reef in the world. The reef is inhabited by over 500 species of fish, around 400 species of mollusks, and over 60 species of stony corals, among many other marine fauna and flora. Over the years, however, the reef has been seriously harmed, mostly due to human activity. This is the reason why MUSA emerged as an artificial reef.