A new phenomenon just in the 21st century: a handful of underwater sculpture gardens, museums, and installations have been built in seas around the world. And in winter 2026, Saint Lucia in the Eastern Caribbean gets added to the list of seaside nations with attractions designed to get travelers below the surface of some of the most beautiful waters in the world.
“Below Saint Lucia”
A new underwater sculpture park at Anse La Verdure on the island’s southwest coast brings together art, culture, history and marine conservation through an immersive collection of underwater sculptures inspired by Saint Lucia’s people, heritage and national identity.
This site opens in winter 2026. It’s the first phase of a three-phase underwater sculpture park concept, with future locations planned.
At the heart of Below Saint Lucia is a collection of 31 underwater sculptures. The collection pays tribute to individuals and groups connected to the end of the slavery era, war fighters, entrepreneurs, cultural preservers, community leaders, and other local trailblazers.
It’s an exciting development for the small Caribbean tourism destination, with officials pointing out that Below Saint Lucia “gives another reason to explore our waters while connecting with the stories that have shaped our nation. Importantly, community participation will be pivotal to the development and operation of the attraction.”
Sustainability
The underwater sculptures are designed to function as artificial reef structures, supporting coral growth and marine biodiversity while creating opportunities to educate visitors about ocean conservation, environmental stewardship, and climate resilience.
Below Saint Lucia offers visitors an opportunity to experience the underwater environment while gaining a deeper appreciation for the importance of protecting it.
Deep Dive: Other Underwater Sculpture Gardens Around the World
Below Saint Lucia joins a handful of other underwater sculpture gardens, museums, and installations in the Caribbean and in seas around the globe.
Not a qualified scuba diver? No problem. Many of these marine attractions are accessible to snorkelers on the surface, with organized visits to the sites.
1. Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park— Grenada, Caribbean. Established in 2006, the world's first underwater sculpture park, a haunting circle of children holding hands. (Snorkel and scuba)
2. MUSA Underwater Museum— Cancun and Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Hundreds of submerged sculptures, including The Silent Evolution, a congregation of life-size human figures. (Snorkel, scuba, and glass-bottom boat tours)
3. MUSAN Underwater Sculpture Museum — Ayia Napa, Cyprus: An underwater forest of 93 sculptures, including trees, children, and human figures. (Snorkel, freediving and scuba)
4. Museo Atlántico — Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain. Europe's first underwater sculpture museum, featuring striking human figures addressing migration, society, and environmental issues. (40–50 feet underwater: scuba) https://www.underwatersculpture.com/
5. Écomusée Sous-Marin — Cannes, France. Six enormous sculpted faces submerged off Île Sainte-Marguerite, inspired partly by the island's history and the Man in the Iron Mask. (snorkel)
6. Museum of Underwater Art — Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Features the Coral Greenhouse, a spectacular underwater structure containing sculptures and coral gardens, as well as the Ocean Sentinels installations. (snorkel and scuba excursions from the Townsville region)
7. Nest Underwater Sculptures — Gili Meno, Indonesia: A circular installation of 48 life-size human figures embracing and reclining underwater. (snorkel)
8. Ocean Atlas — Nassau, Bahamas: A monumental underwater sculpture depicting a young Bahamian girl supporting the weight of the ocean.
9. Coralarium — Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi, Maldives: A semi-submerged art installation combining sculpture and architecture: human figures and geometric structures interact with the surrounding reef environment. (snorkel)
10. 1000 Mermaids Artificial Reef Project — Florida: An artificial reef initiative using submerged human-form sculptures to create marine habitat and support reef conservation. (scuba)
Unlike traditional museums, underwater sculpture gardens are designed to change over time, and the artwork becomes part of a developing underwater ecosystem.
For travelers, that twist is part of the appeal: a return visit years later can reveal an entirely different underwater art exhibition — one created jointly by the artist and the sea.
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“Below Saint Lucia” Stills: Courtesy Saint Lucia Tourism
Bottom image: Getty
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