Visit an Underwater Art Museum

Take snorkeling and diving to another level with an underwater art display. Located in the Gulf of Mexico, in Walton County, Florida, this art installation is less than one nautical mile off shore. Visitors can access the museum through Grayton Beach State Park.

The 2021 exhibit showcases 25 sunken sculptures placed 58 feet under the water’s surface. These creations are added each year with new contributing artists submitting their work to a jury for selection. Each sculpture will contribute to a living reef conservation project for marine life to build off of. To be considered, artists must create a piece less than 6,000 pounds, must use materials that won’t harm the environment (like stone, concrete, metals), and each piece must have arches large enough for sea turtles to glide through with ease. Any structure with small openings where marine life might get stuck or that uses unapproved materials, like paint or plastic, will be rejected. The goal of the art installations is to build a foundation on which sea life can build new habitats.

The exhibit is free to view. Only certified divers comfortable swimming in open waters are permitted to experience the exhibit up-close. Visitors may obtain a diving certification from a nearby dive shop ,like Emerald Coasts Scuba in Destin, Florida, who regularly takes guests out to the museum. Those not certified can snorkel on the surface for an overhead view.