You cannot see the Side Underwater Museum from a normal excursion boat — it is a scuba-diving site, and its zone is closed to regular sea traffic. This surprises a lot of visitors who spot “underwater museum” on the map and assume a glass-bottom boat or a quick sail-over will do. It won’t. The sculptures sit deep, in a protected area, and the only way to meet them is with a mask, fins and a certified dive. Here is the honest, useful version.
What the museum actually is
Opened in November 2015, it was Turkey’s first underwater museum, created off the Side coast by the Antalya branch of the Chamber of Shipping. It began with around 110 sculptures arranged in themed groups — the War of Independence, whirling dervishes, a camel caravan, flower gardens — with materials chosen to encourage marine life to colonise them over time. Later coverage cites roughly 117 pieces. It’s a genuine cultural site, just one you experience underwater rather than in a gallery.
Why no tour boat sails over it
Two reasons. First, the sculptures lie at depths of roughly eleven, eighteen and twenty-four metres, about 2.4 km off the coast — far too deep to glimpse from the surface. Second, and importantly, the museum zone is closed to regular sea traffic. It isn’t a stop on any standard coastal excursion, and it isn’t something a captain can detour to. So if a seller implies your day trip “passes the underwater museum,” treat that as a red flag — it doesn’t work that way.
How divers actually visit
The proper way is with a Side dive centre. The site was designed with depth zones for amateur, semi-professional and professional divers, so certified divers can be guided down to the shallower groups, while deeper clusters suit more experienced divers. A local dive operator handles the boat out to the zone, the gear, and the guide. If you’re a certified diver — or willing to do an introductory dive with an instructor — this is a memorable half-day quite separate from the usual boat tours.
A note on realism
Be a little cautious about expectations. The sculptures have been colonised by marine growth since 2015 by design, and we can’t promise a specific number are pristine today — underwater conditions change. Ask your dive centre what’s currently visible and in what condition before you book. Honesty here beats a glossy old photo; the appeal is as much the eerie, blue-green atmosphere of statues on the seabed as any single figure.
What our boats do instead
Our coastal trips give you the surface version of Side’s sea: swimming stops in clear bays, views of the ancient city and its temples from the water, and time to snorkel where the seabed is shallow and bright. That’s a different pleasure from the deep museum — sunlit and easy, no certification needed. If diving the museum is on your list, do it as a dedicated dive day; if you just want a relaxed day on the water, a coastal boat trip is the right call.
Bottom line
The Side Underwater Museum is real and worth doing — but only as a scuba dive with a licensed Side dive centre, never as a stop on a sightseeing boat. Keep the two experiences separate in your planning and you’ll get the best of both: a proper dive for the museum, and a bright, easy coastal cruise for everything above the waterline.
For the above-water highlights, see the Temple of Apollo from the sea and which bays Side boats visit.
Verified July 2026
FAQ
Can I see the underwater museum from a tour boat?
No. The sculptures sit at depths of roughly eleven to twenty-four metres, about 2.4 km offshore, and the museum zone is closed to regular sea traffic. No excursion or glass-bottom boat sails over it. The only way to see it is by scuba diving with a certified Side dive centre.
How do people visit the Side Underwater Museum?
By scuba diving through a local Side dive centre, which arranges the boat, gear and a certified guide. The site has depth zones for amateur to professional divers, so certified divers or those doing an introductory dive with an instructor can be guided to the appropriate sculpture groups.
How many statues are in the underwater museum?
It opened in 2015 with around 110 themed sculptures; later reports cite roughly 117. However, the pieces were designed to be colonised by marine growth over time, so we cannot promise a specific number are pristine today. Ask your dive centre about current conditions before booking.
Is there a glass-bottom boat to the underwater museum?
No. The sculptures are far too deep to view from the surface and the zone is closed to sea traffic, so no glass-bottom or sightseeing boat visits it. If you want to experience it, plan a dedicated scuba dive; for surface fun, a normal coastal boat trip with snorkelling is the better choice.
Ready to book your day at sea?
Instant confirmation · No prepayment · Free cancellation up to 24h