Australia is opening a museum inside the Great Barrier Reef

Courtesy of Jason deCaires-Taylor / Museum of Underwater Art

Courtesy of Matt Curnock / Museum of Underwater Art

Courtesy of Richard Woodgett / Museum of Underwater Art

Visitors will need snorkels to visit Australia’s new Museum of Underwater Art, submerged off the coast of Queensland.

It’s the latest project by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor, who’s initiated similar projects in Lanzarote and Grenada. He is hoping this latest underwater museum will remind people of the precarious state of the Great Barrier Reef.

The sculpture park lies 60 feet under the waves and is designed as a coral ‘greenhouse’ – with the hope that, over time, its many sculptures will be covered over with new coral growth. There are also plans to add further installations to the museum over time.

‘Ocean Siren’ sculpture, which changes colour based on data collected by the Davies Reef Weather Station. Courtesy of Jason deCaires-Taylor / Museum of Underwater Art.

MOUA can be spied from the shore thanks to its ‘ocean siren’ spire – which is the only part of the structure not submerged. This changes in colour to reflect the temperature of the water, with dark red beaming out a warning that the reef is in serious trouble.

MOUA’s opening has been delayed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Once available to the public, tour operators will be on hand to take divers out to visit the installation.