First U.S. Jellyfish Museum Opens in Pompano Beach

Alex and Yana Yanovsky, Ukrainian immigrants who fled their homeland after the 2022 Russian invasion, brought their experience operating aquariums in Kyiv to Florida. After arriving in Pompano Beach, they partnered with operations manager Jessica Eisenbarth to create a museum dedicated solely to jellyfish, marking the nation’s first such institution.

UsNews and World Report

The repurposed former Wells Fargo branch now houses a nearly 10,000-square-foot (900 m²) facility with 21 salt-water tanks that rotate roughly 20 unique jellyfish species, including Japanese sea nettles, moon jellyfish, spotted jellies and upside-down jellyfish. The city provided about $100,000 in community-development grants to support the conversion. General manager Iryna Pelypkanych says the space is designed to exude calm, using dark galleries and projected lighting to highlight the organisms’ bioluminescent hues.

UsNews and World ReportUkrainian Immigrants Open First US Jellyfish Museum

Guides explain jellyfish’s role in marine food webs and the threats posed by climate change and ocean acidification. Yana Yanovsky notes that scientists have identified around 4,000 jellyfish species worldwide, emphasizing their resilience despite lacking a brain or heart. Monty Graham, director of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, links the museum’s focus to broader public appreciation for marine ecosystems, noting that jellyfish displays have grown in popularity since the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s permanent gallery opened in 1996.

Ukrainian Immigrants Open First US Jellyfish Museum UsNews and World Report

Eisenbarth highlighted the founders’ immediate desire to share their passion after relocating to Florida. Pelypkanych stressed the museum’s educational goal of leaving visitors feeling more knowledgeable about jellyfish populations. City officials described the attraction as a cultural and economic boost for the tourism corridor near the Pompano Beach pier.

Ukrainian Immigrants Open First US Jellyfish Museum

• “When they left Ukraine, they moved to Florida, and then they immediately wanted to share their passion here,” — Jessica Eisenbarth, operations manager

UsNews and World Report

• “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,” — Yana

UsNews and World Report

• “Their movement is mesmerizing, almost meditative, and they play an important role in marine ecosystems.” — Monty Graham, director of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

UsNews and World Report

• “The biggest idea here is to leave people with the feeling that they know something more about the population of jellyfish,” — Iryna Pelypkanych, general manager

UsNews and World Report