Cambodia is planning Asia’s first living underwater museum off the coast of Kep

Cambodia is planning Asia’s first large-scale underwater museum. And no, it’s not just some gimmicky excuse to plonk sculptures in the sea. Called the S.E.A. Ocean Gallery, the project is set to take shape off the coast of Kep, where specially designed artworks will sit underwater and gradually become habitats for coral, seagrass and marine life. If you know Kep as Cambodia’s low-key seaside escape of crab markets, sleepy coastal roads and faded villas, this gives the town a rather unexpected new dimension.

The gallery will be located around 8.5 kilometres offshore within a protected Marine Fisheries Management Area, and the idea is for it to behave less like a conventional sculpture park and more like a living museum. In other words, the works will not stay the same for long. Over time, the sea will take over, with coral and marine species slowly colonising the structures over time. Each installation will be 3D-printed using mineral and geopolymer materials designed to mimic the complexity of natural reefs.

That is really the most interesting part of the whole thing: these pieces are meant to function as both artworks and marine habitats. Rather than dropping decorative objects onto the seabed, the team behind the project says each structure is being designed to support biodiversity, from coral attachment to fish shelter, while avoiding existing coral zones. The Ocean Gallery is being developed by Knai Bang Chatt by Kep West, alongside Art for Kep and Marine Conservation Cambodia. The latter has been active in protecting Cambodia’s southern coastal ecosystems since 2008 and has helped establish marine fisheries management areas in the country.

If all goes well, the organisers have planned for the gallery to become a platform for contemporary art, with commissions exploring themes such as memory, climate, myth, identity, and justice. The project is envisioned as a 10-year vision beginning in 2026, with the aim of turning Kep into a regional talking point for art, ocean conservation, and climate by 2035.

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