Museum Of Underwater Art: You can snorkel in this museum
What's the story
There are several exciting experiences and tourist attractions that you can cherish in Australia. However, did you know that the country, back in 2020, established a one-of-its-kind underwater museum? Well, known as The Museum Of Underwater Art (MOUA), this intriguing place has many beautiful sculptures submerged in the seabed, aiming to promote awareness of a sustainable aquatic environment. Here's how you can visit it.
Museum
Only underwater museum in the Southern Hemisphere
The Museum Of Underwater Art (MOUA) features sculptures submerged inside the Great Barrier Reef, in Townsville North Queensland, Australia. The sculptures have been made by one of the world's choicest and leading underwater sculptors named Jason deCaires Taylor and modeled on famous conservationists and scientists. "This is the only underwater museum in the Southern Hemisphere," says museum chair Paul Victory.
Information
The Great Barrier Reef is larger than Italy!
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. It is bigger than Italy! No, we aren't kidding! Comprising almost 3,000 individual reefs, it accounts for about 10 percent of the world's coral reefs.
Aim
The museum educates about coral reef conservation
The agenda behind the creation of this unique museum is to spread awareness about coral reef conservation. It also carries the vision to offer an underwater experience to both locals and tourists, achieve positive environmental outcomes, and engage Australian communities in the cultural stories of land and sea. These stellar artworks have been built to allow corals to grow, supporting reef restoration.
Material
You can witness floating trees and sculptures of children
When the museum opened in 2020, it only featured floating trees, sculptures of children, and coral in planter boxes. However, in May this year, the authorities added more sculptures as a part of their third art installation in the ocean bed. Now there are eight more picturesque statues that have been recently immersed at the marine site.
Information
'They're all permanent creations': Jason deCaires Taylor
"They're all permanent creations — they're made from materials that are very similar to rock, they're reinforced with marine-grade stainless steel. The idea is that they sustain a reef, and we want this reef to last a very long time," said deCaires Taylor.
Reef colonies
Art reaches people when scientists sometimes cannot
The sculptures which are called "ocean sentinels," are designed to inspire ocean conservation. As time passes, marine life will gradually colonize these sculptures. "Already, they have a thin film of green algae that's forming, already there's some starfish that have crawled up beside, and there's some shoaling fish. They're certainly adapting to the surroundings," ABC News quoted deCaires Taylor as saying.
Visit
Here is how you can visit this underwater museum
Eager to visit this museum when in Australia? Well, you can book your experience at its official website. The experience is suitable for first-time divers, certified divers, and snorkelers, which makes it open to people of all ages. You can have a safe and unforgettable adventure with five-star dive offerings and training courses. Ticket prices start from Rs. 13,000 per head.