Patrons of the Bermuda Youth Library can swim with the sharks without ever getting wet.

Artist Manuel Palacio has just completed a mural for the Youth Library on Church Street depicting underwater scenes.

The library recently decided to add a mural as the room at the library housing picture books was starting to look dated. The new mural will be unveiled today.

“Art changes the look of a place,” Mr Palacio said. “I hope this challenges other organisations in Bermuda to look at their spaces, particularly in the wake of the announcement that the America’s Cup is coming to Bermuda.”

The mural was paid for by local library charity Friends of the Library. Mr Palacio said he thought the mural would just take a weekend, but when he was asked to use the artwork of Christian Lassen, it provided an extra challenge. Lassen is a Hawaii-born artist known for painting vibrant underwater scenes.

“It took me four months,” said Mr Palacio, “but finally it is finished.”