Cannes’ Underwater Museum: Six Sculptures Beneath the Sea at the Lérins Islands

CANNES – A museum without walls, immersed in the Mediterranean and accessible directly from the beach. This is the concept behind the new underwater eco-museum in Cannes, located in the waters of the Lérins Islands, off Île Sainte-Marguerite.

The project was created by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor, internationally renowned for his underwater installations, which combine art, environmental protection and the enhancement of marine ecosystems.

Six faces beneath the Mediterranean

The underwater trail features six large sculptures, inspired by the facial features of six Cannes residents. The works are approximately two metres high and weigh nine tonnes each. They have been placed on the seabed in an area previously characterised by intense human activity and environmental degradation.

The sculptures are positioned approximately two metres apart, while their depth ranges from 3 to 5 metres. This makes the installation accessible even to visitors without diving experience: a mask and snorkel are all that is needed to explore it.

The sculptures depict adjoining faces and, beneath the surface, become an integral part of the marine landscape. The artistic project therefore also carries an environmental message, highlighting both the fragility and resilience of the marine ecosystem.

Art and marine conservation

The eco-museum is not intended solely as a cultural attraction. The sculptures have been designed to gradually become a new habitat for marine flora and fauna.

Their surfaces can be colonised by marine organisms, helping to create a new refuge for underwater life. The project therefore aims to transform an area affected by human activity into a space where culture, sustainable tourism and biodiversity can coexist.

This approach is central to Jason deCaires Taylor’s work. The artist has created underwater installations in several parts of the world, turning works of art into genuine elements of new marine landscapes.

How to visit Cannes’ underwater museum

Access to the underwater eco-museum is free of charge. Visitors only need to pay for the ferry to Sainte-Marguerite Island.

After arriving at the island’s port, visitors can walk for approximately 20 minutes to the area around Résidence du Grand Jardin, facing Saint-Honorat.

From there, the sculpture site can be reached by swimming. After covering approximately 80 metres, visitors can use a mask and snorkel to explore the underwater trail and view the six works.

The relatively shallow depth makes the experience particularly striking. Mediterranean sunlight filters through the water, constantly changing the appearance of the sculptures, which become both works of contemporary art and new features of the underwater landscape.

An attraction combining art, tourism and the environment

Cannes’ underwater museum offers a different kind of cultural experience: not a place to explore among rooms and walls, but a trail to discover beneath the surface.

Jason deCaires Taylor’s six sculptures are part of a broader project bringing together contemporary art, sustainable tourism and marine conservation.

For visitors to the French Riviera, the installation at the Lérins Islands offers a unique and evocative experience: a museum accessible from the beach, immersed in the Mediterranean and destined, over time, to become increasingly integrated into marine life.