The Underwater Archaeology Museum in Feodosia is the first of its kind not only in the region but also in Russia. The first exhibits of the modern museum were raised from the bottom of the Black Sea in the post-war years and were stored in various places for a long time without attracting much attention. By the end of the 20th century, the number of artifacts had significantly increased, leading to the establishment of a separate scientific field for their study.

The museum was founded in 2013 and is located in the architectural monument of federal significance, Stamboli Villa, built in the early 20th century in the Spanish-Moorish style. The museum is managed by the Black Sea Center for Underwater Research, a unique institution established in 2012 to study underwater cultural heritage.

Currently, there are no analogs to the Underwater Archaeology Museum in Russia. It houses artifacts raised from the Black Sea floor at different times. The museum's collection consists of about 1000 exhibits. It also has a restoration center where found items are manually restored. Now the museum's funds are open for visits not only by archaeologists but also by ordinary tourists.

The museum's exhibition features a variety of maritime treasures: Panticapaean coins, ancient amphorae with maker's stamps, anchors from ancient Greek ships, and medieval jugs. A large part of the collection consists of items found in the sunken city of Akra, located in the Kerch area. These include amphorae, household items, stone products, ancient Bosporan coins, lead stocks, stone anchors, plaster casts of sarcophagi, and jewelry.

The bay of Feodosia has always been considered dangerous for navigation due to reefs, hurricane winds, and frequent fogs, which often led to shipwrecks. The museum houses many exhibits found after such accidents: household items, dishes, fragments of ancient and medieval ships, as well as a vial of medicine from 1917.

The exhibition includes artifacts from the Crimean War, including items found after the wreck of the sailing ship "Prince" in 1854. There are also exhibits from World War I and II: weapons, machine guns, German maps, personal belongings of soldiers, documents, and rare photographs of underwater objects.

The museum regularly hosts thematic exhibitions dedicated to various events. For example, the exhibition "Wings of Victory" tells about finds from the Il-2 attack aircraft shot down during the Crimean operation. A thematic exhibition was organized for the anniversary of the artist Ivan Aivazovsky. The exhibition "Deep Dive" is dedicated to the history of exploring the deep-sea world and showcases underwater vehicles.

Conferences, meetings, and symposiums are held on the museum's premises, discussing the results of museum seasons and the fate of exhibits found during the construction of the bridge and gas pipeline in Crimea. The museum is equipped with modern technologies, including virtual reality.

The Underwater Archaeology Museum combines two museums in one. In addition to underwater exhibits, visitors are attracted by the interiors of Stamboli Villa, recognized as a cultural heritage monument. Inside the building, there is not only an exhibition area but also a restoration center. Nearby are the Fish and Fishing Museum, the Vera Mukhina Museum, and beaches.

The museum is located in the city center on Aivazovsky Avenue, not far from the embankment. The nearest public transport stop, "Listovnichy," serves bus routes No. 2, 2a, 4, 4d. From the stop, you need to go back a little, walk to Ulyanova Street, and then about 300 meters towards the coast past the "Reiss" hotel.