Isla Mujeres is home to an adventure playground called MUSA, which contains over 450 statues that sit 10 meters/30 feet underwater. Thousands of divers and snorkelers view this successful relationship between man and nature yearly. But is everything you see there what meets the eye? Or are there more secrets hidden among the statues? Here are fourteen little-known facts about MUSA.
The history of the concept of MUSA and the individual statues is fascinating. However, what if I told you there are other discoveries to be made among those statues? Every time you dive into MUSA, you encounter new details. Perhaps you'll notice a unique coral growth over a statue's face or fascinating animals hidden among the buttocks of The Bankers, who have their heads buried in the sand. Allow me to guide you on a new journey to uncover things you may not have seen or noticed during your first visit.
Photo Credit: Jasper Blijker
One of the features that is often overlooked at the museum is the fact that some of these statues are interactive. There is a strict no-touch policy when diving. We all know the saying, "Take only photos, leave only bubbles", and this is to protect the environment from clumsy divers and souvenir collectors. However, several statues have features that involve contact, something better left to the guide to show you.
1 MUSA is just off the island of Isla Mujeres and not Cancun.
While MUSA is commonly mentioned as being in Cancun, it's much nearer to Isla Mujeres. There are a few statues that you can snorkel at near Cancun in Punta Nizuc and some near Punta Sam in El Meco, but the only statues where you can both dive and snorkel are at MUSA, just a short boat ride from the coast of Isla Mujeres.
2 The Chimney in Urban Reef blows bubbles like smoke.
Urban Reef, part of an area locally called Casitas, is a section of the reef designed by Jason deCaire Taylor. His vision was to create a complete street of houses that would serve as homes for fish. Unfortunately, only two of the houses were completed. One of these houses features a chimney, and there is a space at the back where you can purge your second-stage alternate, creating the illusion that smoke is emanating from the chimney.
3 The singer at The Silent Evolution blows bubbles-like songs
Another section of the park, "The Silent Evolution," was also designed by Jason deCaire Taylor and includes an interactive statue. This statue depicts Juanita, a singer from Mérida. Upon close inspection, you can discover an opening in her back that lets you purge your alternate regulator. This creates the illusion of bubbles emerging from her mouth as she performs underwater.
Juanita, the singer from Meridahas, has an opening in her back that allows bubbles to come out of her mouth. This photo was taken at MUSA Headquarters. Underwater photo credit Jan Schepmann
4 There are three space invaders hidden at MUSA
Perhaps one of the museum's most interesting features, which attracts a worldwide cult following, is the inclusion of the "Space Invaders" on three statues.
A renowned French urban artist, Frank Slama, known by the pseudonym "Invader," inspired by the 1970s-80s video games, has left his mark with small space aliens in over 20 countries and 80 cities worldwide. Three of them can be found around MUSA.
Photos courtesy of MUSA
5 The Chinese houses are meant to be a map of the world
Biomap, the group of statues found at the very end of The Silent Evolution, is possibly one of the most misnamed statues in the area. Many call it The Chinese Houses because that is what it looks like. But Rodrigo Quiñones designed them to be seen from above, and they are meant to look like a biological map of the world (they don't but they're still cool)
6 The Volkswagon has an ironic "Think Blue" on the side.
Prostibocho—Located next to The Silent Evolution, this mysterious Volkswagen has a problematic history. Following the successful submersion of the Anthropocene, Volkswagen proposed an additional $20,000 to sink another car model. This was barely sufficient to cover costs, but as the project badly needed funds, the statue was completed out of need, not out of love. Volkswagon, however, selected the most polluting VW as the model. Due to this environmental problem, the VW is unavailable in Jason's home country, the UK. In a moment of irony, Jason deCaire Taylor printed "Think Blue," which is still faintly visible on the side. The artist did not want to take credit for it, so another artist was credited with it. Because it was just done for money, the name amongst MUSA is prostibocho - prosti for...well, you can guess and bocho because that is what VW beetles are called in Mexico-
7 Placing the pregnant woman and the nun on the same platform in The Silent Evolution is deliberate.
This story is beautiful. In The Silent Evolution, two statues are placed together. One is a pregnant woman, and beside her is a nun.
The nun was Rosario, Jason deCaire Taylor's Spanish teacher. Like all his sculptures, she was cast naked and dressed after the initial casting; he chose to attire her as a nun. In reality, she was not part of a religious order.
The pregnant woman, Lily, gave birth to her daughter, also named Lily, in the same month that Rosario passed away. These statues are positioned together, serving as a lovely tribute to both individuals and a recognition of the cycle of life.
Copies of the statues can be found at the MUSA Headquarters. Photo credits: Jasper Blijker
8 The Dream Catcher is someone special to the artist
The Dream Catcher is a cast of the artist's father, Jason deCaire Taylor. He completed the casting shell in his home country of England and brought it back to Mexico. Can you imagine working in an airline and coming across this in the cargo on a plane?
9 The models had to be in their positions for up to an hour
The statue of the little girl was based on a young girl named Valeria Ramirez. She stayed completely motionless for the 50-minute session, holding her small bag and keeping a faint smile. Additionally, there is a statue of a man with his hands raised above his head. Paz posed for this statue, maintaining that position for an hour.
Photos courtesy of MUSA headquarters, Jasper Blijker and Malek Bee Productions
10 How do you cast a statue of a dog?
Have you seen The Dream Catcher and wondered about the dog, perhaps? How do you cast a dog? The reality is that a dog won't stay still long enough to be cast, so Jason deCaire Taylor needed a dog that was already deceased. He visited a dog pound in Mexico, where they kindly told him he could choose one, and they would euthanize it for him. However, being the person he was, the idea appalled him, and he couldn't do that with a clear conscience. So, he asked all his employees to inform him if they found a dog that had been hit by a car on the roadside. When one was found, it was stored in a freezer until required, much to the surprise of an unsuspecting landlord.
11 The original models for The Silent Evolution were Victoria's Secret models
Jason initially worked with Victoria's Secret models. However, the first group had excessive silicone implants, making it difficult to keep them steady during casting. Consequently, he had to stop and find new models with a more natural look, now featured in the MUSA. How different things nearly looked, but I think the more natural look suits MUSA better.
12 The bottles at The Dream Catcher have messages in them
Within the bottles are messages. One message is from Roberto Diaz Abraham, a co-founder of MUSA, stating, "I hope that with evolution, our hearts do not become as hard as our heads." Many other messages come from children attending a school in Puerto Morales where Jason deCaire Taylor resided during the creation of MUSA
13 The Silent Evolution has a function in its shape and placement.
The statues were arranged in the form of an eye. The direction of this eye is crucial as it faces the hurricane pathway, significantly diminishing the storm's energy. The sculptures were also installed downstream from the Manchones natural reef, allowing them to capture the flow of coral larvae after spawning. The Manchones Reef is a source of coral larvae and protects the sculptures from tropical storms and hurricanes.
The timing of the statues' placement was critical. They were scheduled to align with coral spawning, providing the ideal substrate for new coral to settle on.
14 Cross of the Bay preceded MUSA by nearly 20 years with the same concept.
As early as 1993, Ramon Bravo was deeply saddened by the impact on the reefs and the scarcity of large fish. He was concerned about the effects of many visitors on the reef and wanted to take action to prevent further destruction. His solution was to submerge a religious symbol, the Cross of the Bay, a few meters from the Manchones Reef, the most visited area then.
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He believed tourists would spend 15-20 minutes away from the reef. Although the cross has no religious connotations, he felt that "people have more respect for a symbol of this nature than the authorities".
He stated, "Since it is normal to dive for no more than an hour per day, the tourists will have less time to disturb the reef's life while visiting the cross."
Many years later, the installation of MUSA in 2009 would significantly reduce the accumulated impact of visitors once again.
Gratitude goes to Roberto Diaz and his team for sharing the fascinating stories of MUSA, along with its history and challenges that led to this remarkable concept. Located in Cancun, MUSA's headquarters is worth visiting to view the replicas of its statues, the third space invader, and the new sculptures prepared for installation beneath the ocean.
We trust this provides you with greater insight into the incredible MUSA. It's worth a visit. Should you require further details on diving or snorkelling, don't hesitate to contact us at contact@pocnadivecenter.com or click below, and we will be happy to help.
Happy bubbles
Tracy Gunn is the founder and owner of Pocna Dive Center on Isla Mujeres, Mexico. A former banker turned adventurer, Tracy left a decade-long corporate career to pursue her passion for diving and island life. With over 35 years of diving experience and 24 years of living on Isla Mujeres, she now serves as a PADI Course Director, training the next generation of divers at her dive school. When she’s not underwater, Tracy shares her love for the island and the ocean through engaging blogs about diving, marine life, and Isla Mujeres culture.Â
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