Ever wondered what it would be like to swim through the Kingdom of Atlantica?
While this may be remotely impossible due to obvious reasons, there is a great alternative to it on the shores of the South Coast in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka opened its first-ever underwater museum off the shores of Galle Sri Lanka on the 5th of April 2020. This museum was dedicated to all the Sri Lankan Navy divers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
The museum which was declared open by the Navy Commander, Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva is an excellent surface for various marine life to thrive, in turn providing food for fish assemblies. The museum also hopes to regenerate corals and promote the breeding of fish. All the statues placed in this underwater museum have been handmade by Navy personnel using eco-friendly material which will encourage the formation of corals which over time will increase its beauty.
This initiative by the Sri Lanka Navy will also contribute greatly to the tourism industry which is finally regaining its footing after the coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis. The initial plan was to build this underwater museum with unusable train compartments. However, the lack of such material soon changed the proposed idea and this unique gallery was designed and created by the Navy using sculptures and other artefacts.
The museum also had plans to reconstruct Sri Lanka’s cultural monuments. However, the idea was abandoned due to religious insensitivity. Nevertheless, this handmade museum is located at a depth of around 50 feet in the Galle Harbour area and provides a marvellous sightseeing experience for both locals and foreigners alike.
From Inspiration to Marine Transformation…..
The main goal of this unique project is to promote the regeneration of corals and fish breeding. It is encouraging to note that fish breeding has taken flight at this underwater museum. This underwater sculpture park is a great sightseeing experience for absolutely anyone. From children to adults to experienced divers, scuba beginners or even ordinary swimmers, it will provide a unique experience to all alike. It will certainly draw in more foreign revenue for the country. However, to visit the underwater museum you must go through a recognized diving school. It also cannot be viewed using scuba diving gear, and can only be reached using diving gear including oxygen tanks.
This project which was completed over a very short period has been inspired by the underwater museum in Cancun, Mexico. The underwater museum in Mexico has a total of 500 sculptures in three different galleries. Similarly, you can see various types of marine historical sculptures in the underwater museum in Sri Lanka.
Two more underwater museums have been declared open in Sri Lanka since then, in Trincomalee and Matara, also driven by economic and environmental motives. All three of these museums mark a crucial point for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector and also marine conservation. Thus, making it a stepping stone for the promotion of sustainable and eco-friendly tourism, in addition to promoting its beach holidays.
