A tourism attraction on Hamilton's waterside will give Bermuda's image a much-needed facelift.

Executive director of the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, Nancy Brennan, made the claim last week.

"The Underwater Institute will be a pace-setter among the cultural institutions in Bermuda's reinvigorated strategy to attract visitors here,'' she said.

"Certainly, there has been ample public dialogue and statistics revealing that Bermuda needs more that is fresh and new to attract and satisfy the expectations of today's traveller.'' Ms Brennan said the BUEI -- being developed off East Broadway -- was planned over five years.

She pointed out it would complement the Aquarium, Biological Station and Maritime Museum.

She said: "Where the Aquarium focuses on shallow regions, we concentrate on the exploration of deep water regions from 1,000 to 12,500 feet beneath the surface -- how man is getting there, and what he is learning from these remarkable voyages to great depths.

"Where the Bio Station is devoted to original research in oceanography, climate change, and marine biology, we are devoted to the public `interpretation' of this knowledge -- the sharing of the information in broadly popular terms for general learners of all ages.

"Where the Maritime Museum is devoted to encyclopaedic research and interpretation of man's interaction with the sea surrounding Bermuda -- from the Sea Venture to modern dinghy racing, the Underwater Institute will concentrate on the history of ships' interaction with our reefs!'' Ms Brennan said shipwreck sites were the result of Bermuda's far-flung reef system.

And the Institute will take advantage of this "rich historical resource'', she said.

"The Institute will present a handful of significant wrecks which foundered off Bermuda to show visitors how the art and science of marine salvage and archaeology have progressed over time to become a recognised methodology to study these wrecks as time capsules of human history.'' Ms Brennan said much thought had gone into choosing a site for the Institute.

"Other commendable sites were examined, but one important factor influenced the decision for Hamilton -- the planning vision called for it to be self-supporting from its activities -- not from grants from the Government, and not from donations from extensive, competitive and continuous fundraising.

"Therefore, it had to be close to the greatest number of people who will use its programmes.'' Ms Brennan said the BUEI, at 40,000 square feet, would become Bermuda's largest cultural attraction when it opened in May, 1997.

"It has been designed to serve the needs and interests of Bermudian residents, families, you and visitors to the Island.'' MUSEUM MUS