5 surprising things you can do underwater

People who want to see the exhibitions of British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor need to make a special effort: His galleries are the world's seafloors. In order to admire his sculptures, you need to dive many meters into the oceans. His work, located near Grenada and the Bahamas, among other places, includes a 5-meter high sculpture of the mythological Greek Titan Atlas that reaches from the ocean bed all the way to just below the water's surface.  Another example of Taylor's unique art is the 500 life-sized sculptures in the underwater "Subaquatic Museum of Art" near Cancun, Mexico.

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Diving license for museum entry

In 2016 Taylor unveiled his latest project entitled "Museo Atlantico" ("Atlantic Museum") in a bay off the coast of the Canary Island of Lanzarote. The more than 200 sculptures are intended to resemble some of the inhabitants of Lanzarote. He installed them in several stages under the water along the eastern coast of the island. A visit to these sculptures requires a ten-minute boat trip — and a diving license.

Art and environmental protection

So far the underwater sculptures near Lanzarote still resemble their original state of being whereas some of Taylor's older projects have taken on a life of their own. Fish and marine animals, corals and sea plants have settled on his artworks, transforming them into colorful artificial coral reefs.

From Taylor's perspective, his sculptures aren't only artworks but also a contribution to environmental protection by creating new habitats for marine animals while keeping visitors away from natural — and delicate — coral reefs.

To discover more unusual underwater activities check out the above picture gallery.