A vision for a major open underwater museum off the coast of Latakia has been presented at Syria Travel Show 2026, bringing together Syrian heritage, contemporary art, marine tourism and environmental regeneration in a new concept for the country’s Mediterranean coast.
Presented in the presence of H.E. Mazen Al Salhani, Syria’s Minister of Tourism, and H.E. Laura Khazen Lahoud, Lebanon’s Minister of Tourism, the concept envisions a large-scale diving destination that would create a new way to experience Syria’s cultural identity above and below the water, while opening opportunities for marine tourism, environmental education, scientific research and economic activity in surrounding coastal communities.
Media professional and entrepreneur David Shawakh introduced the concept through a visual presentation and a film featuring footage captured during dives along the Syrian coast, alongside visualisations illustrating how the destination could take shape.
Shawakh described the ambition as creating a marine landmark that “begins with civilization, passes through art and memory, and ends with life.”
At the heart of the proposed experience is a journey through different dimensions of Syrian identity. Visitors would enter through an underwater structure inspired by Palmyrene architecture, before moving through an area showcasing works by Syrian artists and into a marine environment incorporating specially treated, permanently decommissioned equipment as part of the underwater landscape.
Over time, these structures would provide surfaces and habitats for marine organisms, allowing parts of the museum to evolve together with the surrounding ecosystem. This element carries the project’s message, “From War to Life,” transforming objects once associated with conflict into elements of a living marine environment.
The wider concept also includes an artificial marine garden designed to create interconnected spaces for fish and other marine organisms, while expanding the ecological dimension of the visitor experience.
For the Ministry of Tourism, the proposal reflects a wider direction towards diversifying Syria’s tourism offer and creating space for new ideas, entrepreneurs and private-sector innovation.
“We believe new ideas are part of building Syria’s next chapter in tourism,” said H.E. Mazen Al Salhani, Minister of Tourism. “We have extraordinary assets, and we want to give innovators and the private sector the space to transform them into experiences and products that create new opportunities and generate value for local communities. Our doors are open to every serious idea that adds to the visitor experience and presents Syria to the world in a new way.”
If developed, the museum could support a wider coastal visitor economy encompassing diving centres, boat operators, hotels, restaurants, transportation and tourism services, creating opportunities for local businesses and communities to participate directly in the economic activity generated around the destination. It could also provide a platform for marine research, underwater photography and environmental education.
The project team aspires, subject to the necessary studies and international benchmarking, to develop the concept at a scale that could position it among the world’s prominent open underwater museums of its kind.
The proposal remains at the concept and preliminary-study stage. The next phase would include identifying potential marine sites and conducting environmental, hydrographic, navigational, archaeological and engineering studies before the development of a comprehensive master plan and limited pilot phase.
