‘Only One of Its Kind’ Jellyfish Museum Astounds Visitors With Awe-Inspiring Displays of Sea Nettles Safely Behind Glass

The museum opened in the spring and was founded by two aquarium experts who fled the Russia-Ukraine war

August 24, 2026 1:55 p.m.

woman looking at jellyfish tank — In Pompano Beach, a museum dedicated entirely to jellyfish has recently opened its doors. Jellyfish Museum

A new museum has opened in the city of Pompano Beach, Florida, dedicated to a single ancient creature: jellyfish.

The Jellyfish Museum was founded this spring by a couple with previous aquarium experience, but on the other side of the world. Founders Alex and Yana Yanovsky developed aquariums in Ukraine and opened a jellyfish museum in the capital, according to the Associated Press’ David Fischer. The Russia-Ukraine war, however, forced the couple to flee, Jessica Eisenbarth, a manager at the Jellyfish Museum, tells the outlet.

small polka-dotted jellyfish — The museum houses up to 25 species of jellies. Jellyfish Museum

“When they left Ukraine, they moved to Florida, and then they immediately wanted to share their passion here,” she explains.

The Jellyfish Museum features up to 25 species of the elegant invertebrates, including both cold-water and warm-water species, as well as immersive 3D projections and a mini laboratory, per the museum’s website. Of the facility’s nearly 10,000 square feet, more than 6,000 consists of exhibition space, according to a Pompano Beach statement describing the museum as “the only one of its kind in the United States.”

It was while in Ukraine that the Yanovskys noted the particular attention aquarium-goers paid to the jellyfish tanks, according to the Washington Post’s Sydney Page.

“Seeing how deeply people connected with the jellyfish inspired us to develop a refined, education-driven concept and bring that experience to South Florida, a region so closely tied to the ocean,” Yana Yanovsky says in the statement. “Jellyfish are some of the most resilient creatures on Earth. While they lack a brain, they maintain a simple nerve net that allows them to respond to their environment. Their movement is mesmerizing, almost meditative and they play an important role in marine ecosystems.”

Fun facts: How many different species of jellyfish are there?

Jellyfish can be found in all kinds of water, fresh or salt, deep or shallow.
All jellyfish are Cnidaria, the animal phylum that also includes sea anemones, corals and others, according to the Smithsonian's Oceans Portal There are 4,000 species of Medusazoa, the type of jellyfish you are familiar with, and are found in four forms.
Scyphozoa are the most recognizable kind, but scientists have also identified hydrozoa (which includes the Porturguese man-o-war), cubozoa (box jellyfish), and staurozoa (which live on rocks and seaweed.)

Two jellyfish with pink tentacles — Jellyfish existed before the dinosaurs. Jellyfish Museum

Jellyfish have been around for longer than the dinosaurs—approximately 700 million years. They are 95 percent water and five percent collagen, and their 2,000 or so species include some astounding characteristics. For example, a mature Turritopsis dohrnii can go back to the earlier polyp stage. In fact, the species is dubbed the “immortal jellyfish. Lion’s mane jellyfish, on the other hand, is the largest jellyfish species. The largest member of its kind known to scientists was measured at 120 feet from head (bell) to toe (tentacle).

“Jellyfish are incredible creatures,” Yana Yanovsky tells the Washington Post. “They are absolutely something different. They are not like anything else.”

Hundreds of miles north of the museum, beach visitors are meeting jellyfish in a much less pleasant manner, with more than 2,000 sting reports in early August. For much of the summer, jellies have plagued tourists to the Maryland and Delaware shores, mostly due to warmer ocean temperatures, says marine biologist Ellen Prager to WJLA’s Veronica Johnson. “In general, scientists have found an increase in jellyfish populations due to warming ocean temperatures, nutrient pollution, and development in coastal areas where submerged structures provide habitat for reproduction. Another factor could be decreased populations of jellyfish-eating animals like certain fish and sea turtles.”

Recent reports indicate the sea nettle swarms have begun to dissipate, according to the Baltimore Sun.

But back in Florida, the Jellyfish Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and no need to worry about stings.

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