Located in one of the most popular holiday destinations in Cyprus, Ayia Napa, near Nissi Beach, the Museum of Marine Life is the only museum of its kind on the whole island. Its huge collection contains all representatives of the flora and fauna of the Mediterranean Sea, and not only modern species. There you can also see the most ancient fish, animals and plants that lived in those waters several thousand years ago, the appearance of which has been reconstructed from fossils. Thanks to this, visitors to the museum have the opportunity to see sea creatures that have long since disappeared from the face of the Earth. The museum also houses paintings by local artists, objects found on the seabed, including shipwreck gear, ceramics, and even works of art. In addition, one of the most interesting exhibits is an exact replica of the ancient Greek ship Kyrenia-Eleftheria, which went down off the coast of the island around the 4th century BC.
The museum opened its doors to the public in June 1992. It has also created a marine park, which will be of particular interest to children. There are wonderful shows with trained dolphins and sea lions.
In addition, the museum shows interesting scientific and documentary films about the history of the island before man settled there.
The main purpose of the museum was not only to introduce visitors to the rich marine life of Cyprus, but also to show how fragile nature is and that it should be treated with care.
