There’s a new museum in town — well, technically it’s underwater — off the shores of South Walton, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico. On June 25, the Underwater Museum of Art was installed at its final resting site — a 1-acre exhibit off Grayton Beach State Park. The Underwater Museum of Art is truly one of a kind being the nation’s first permanent underwater sculpture exhibit.

The museum features seven different sculptures designed by various artists. Sculptures include everything from an 8-foot pineapple designed by Florida-based artist Rachel Herring to a larger-than-life diver’s head model of Jacques Cousteau wearing his invention, the Aqua-Lung.

All sculptures were specifically designed to provide sustainable homes where underwater critters can thrive.

With 95 percent of the gulf coastal waters off Walton County being barren sand flats, this 1-acre exhibit off Grayton Beach State Park brings the wow factor to local divers and snorkelers as well as visitors to Walton County. The exhibit is located near the site of the South Walton Artificial Reef Association’s existing artificial reefs, including popular sites such as Turtle Reef. The area includes nine nearshore reefs within 1 nautical mile of the shore and in approximately 50 to 60 feet of water. In total, the association has 14 permitted areas with four sites dedicated to snorkelers. Thanks to the Underwater Museum of Art project, there are now 10 artificial reefs for scuba divers and snorkelers to explore.

The UMA is already open to scuba divers and private charters can be organized through Panama City Diving.