Side Underwater Museum is Türkiye’s first underwater museum, located in the Side holiday resort of Antalya’s Manavgat district, projected by the Antalya branch of the Chamber of Shipping, 1.5 miles off the coast and at an average depth of 12 to 20 meters.
It is a museum where 117 sculptures, determined as 5 different themes in the depths of the sea and made by Turkish sculptors, can be seen by diving into the sea.
The museum ranks second in its school globally, following the Mexican Underwater Museum in Mexico, which ranks first with 400 sculptures.
The museum’s sculptures are composed of materials that are safe to use underwater. By blending in with their surroundings and not endangering marine life, they function as a natural reef.
Visitors can see the Çanakkale and the War of Independence representations, the Temple of Apollo, the 50-ton statue of the sea god Poseidon, the camel caravans that used to leave Side for commercial purposes, Mevlana and his spinning dervishes, and more during their visit to the museum, where they will have an entirely different experience.
Again, seeing the flower garden designed for children who lost their lives at sea while fleeing their country during the Syrian war will be an unforgettable memory.
Side Underwater Museum, which makes Antalya’s name more popular in tourism, has hosted more than 50.000 visitors since 2015.
Visitors to the museum are required to have a professional diving certificate.
Cover Image Credit: Antalya.com.tr