It’s nothing short of surreal…

A man “on fire” with fire coral flaring out of his eyes, nose and ears…

A small smiling girl looks up to the surface…

A group of businessmen with their heads in the sand, oblivious to the world around them…

No, these are not real people, but just a few of the 500 magnificent life-sized underwater sculptures created by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor and submerged 30 feet below the ocean surface in the Museo Subacuático de Arte, or MUSA, off the coast of Cancun, Mexico.

The detail is amazing — each “person” is unique and different from the others.

The collection, entitled “The Silent Evolution” was generated as an alternate dive site focused on the creation of a new artificial reef. With more than 750,000 tourists visiting the reefs around Cancun every year, the fragile marine system, particularly the deteriorating Manchones Reef, were being overrun and destroyed, albeit unintentionally, by tourists. Mexican tourism developed the idea of creating something new and unique which would spur interest and draw tourists away from the ailing reefs, while at the same time piquing their interests with a different kind of underwater experience.

Bravo! The effect is a win/win/win/win scenario for Mexico, tourists, conservation, and Taylor. Diving the MUSA is one of the most unique things to do in Cancun!

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Entering MUSA through the “hoop” which makes for a great photo op!

It took Taylor and five other artists 18 months – from 2009 to the end of 2013 – to complete the MUSA, using 120 tons of a special kind of cement that welcomes microscopic organisms. He painstakingly sculpted each piece with its own expression, personality, unique human features, clothing, props, and even pets. The statues do not contain harmful materials that could potentially harm the underwater environment.

According to Taylor, who is also a master diver, “The Silent Evolution forms a vast gathering of people aiming to define a new era of living in a symbiotic relationship with nature.” Some of the statues are seen as positive – embracing conserving the environment, while others appear in a more negative light as being oblivious of their actions.

MUSA was carefully designed and produced so as not to hurt the natural marine environment.

The conservation effort has two parts to it:

1. The sculptures themselves were designed to draw divers and snorkelers away from the endangered reef system so it would have a chance to regenerate.
2. An opportunity to observe what the marine environment will do to the sculptures, the goal being new coral growth and the eventual establishment of a new reef.

I am a frequent visitor to Mexico – I’m in love with that country! I’m also a certified scuba diver, and I can tell you, unequivocally, I’ve never been to a dive site anything like this. In addition to the already phenomenal, otherworldly feel that I get whenever I dive, there were hundreds of sculptures to explore up close and personal.

A sculpture of a small house.

And not only “people.” Other sculptures include a small house, bomb-styled anchors, and a life-sized Volkswagen Bug that looked so much like my first set of wheels I was tempted to try and adjust my buoyancy so I could climb in and sit behind the wheel for the world’s best photo op. No worries, I didn’t follow through on that impulse.

Wait! This looks familiar… I wonder if it has a burned out clutch…

The MUSA sculptures have been submerged at different depths, up to 30 feet, so they can be enjoyed not just by divers, but snorkelers, and even those who prefer to stay dry in glass-bottomed boats.

Because of the algae and other marine life clinging to the sculptures, scuba diving Cancun at the underwater museum will be a constantly-changing adventure that tourists will want to return to experience again and again.

Cancun also has some of the prettiest beaches in the world, although at times seaweed can be a problem.  Here’s a guide to finding the best swimming beaches in Cancun!

Here’s a guide to the best luxury Cancun hotels.

Click below to PIN so you can find where to scuba dive Cancun again!

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About the Author

Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials.”  Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal.  She has traveled six continents looking for fabulous places and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer (and Gen X!) tribe.