Jellyfish Museum Opens in Florida, 'Only One of Its Kind' in US
In Pompano Beach, Florida, a unique jellyfish museum has just opened, thanks to Ukrainian immigrants Alex and Yana Yanovsky, who fled the war in Ukraine. This spring, the museum began welcoming visitors to explore 25 different jellyfish species along with impressive 3D displays, all housed in a space of nearly 10,000 square feet, with over 6,000 square feet reserved for exhibits. The city proudly claims it's the first of its kind in the U.S. The Yanovskys, who previously built aquariums in Ukraine, also established a jellyfish museum in Kyiv. Open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the museum comes in the wake of over 2,000 jellyfish stings reported in Maryland and Delaware, linked to warming ocean temperatures.
Key facts
- Jellyfish Museum opened in Pompano Beach, Florida, founded by Alex and Yana Yanovsky.
- The Yanovskys are Ukrainian refugees who fled due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
- The museum features up to 25 species of jellyfish, including cold-water and warm-water species.
- The facility has nearly 10,000 square feet, with over 6,000 square feet of exhibition space.
- It is described as 'the only one of its kind in the United States'.
- The museum includes immersive 3D projections and a mini laboratory.
- Over 2,000 jellyfish sting reports occurred in early August in Maryland and Delaware.
- Jellyfish have existed for approximately 700 million years.
- The largest lion's mane jellyfish measured 120 feet from bell to tentacle.
- The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Entities
Artists
- Alex Yanovsky
- Yana Yanovsky
- Jessica Eisenbarth
- Ellen Prager
Institutions
- Jellyfish Museum
- Associated Press
- Washington Post
- Smithsonian
- WJLA
- Baltimore Sun
Locations
- Pompano Beach
- Florida
- United States
- Ukraine
- Kyiv
- Maryland
- Delaware