Hypnotic in their rippling motion, jellyfish drift through the oceans, slowly fading into its far edges. They have existed for more than 500 million years, appearing long before dinosaurs, and continue to fuel the imagination of those who fear them as well as those who find calm in their subtle movements.
It is precisely this captivating nature that will soon be celebrated at the Aquarium of the Pacific, which is set to open more than 7,700 gallons of saltwater habitats housing more than 40 jellyfish species sourced from around the world.
The new exhibit called Jelly Dreamscapes, is designed like a darkened theater. Light flows from overhead starlike illumination, kaleidoscopes, holograms, and a massive end-to-end projection. Across 25 tanks, some built into walls and others freestanding, along with interactive displays, visitors can explore each species’ origins, diet, and anatomy.
Jellyfish species featured
The exhibit brings together a wide range of jellyfish and related gelatinous species from oceans around the globe. From the widely distributed Asian moon jelly to cold-water species like the brownbanded moon jelly, each highlights a different adaptation to marine life. Some, such as the blue lion’s mane jelly, use hundreds of tentacles to capture prey, while others like the lagoon jelly rely partly on symbiotic algae living in their tissues for energy.
Other species lean toward a more predatory lifestyle, including the Indonesian sea nettle, Pacific sea nettle, and South American sea nettle, which use long stinging tentacles to immobilize zooplankton, larval fish, and even other jellies.
In contrast, the California sea gooseberry is not a true jellyfish but a comb jelly, using tiny hairlike cilia that create shimmering light effects as it moves. Together, these species showcase an extraordinary range of survival strategies across coastal waters and open oceans.
The Aquarium of the Pacific millionaire overhaul
The new exhibit is the result of a $2 million renovation of the aquarium’s former upstairs gallery, requiring a piping system capable of replicating ocean temperatures from the Arctic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.
Some tanks were specially sourced from a company in Kagawa, Japan, which layers acrylic in a way that mimics the deep blue of the ocean.
📆 When: 23 May, 2025 through 30 April 2027.
📍 Location: 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802
