The Aquarium of the Pacific just debuted a new exhibit that’s all about jellyfish

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach has unveiled Jelly Dreamscapes, a new $2 million exhibition dedicated to sea jellies that transforms part of the aquarium into something that’s both an art installation and a very calming fever dream. The exhibit opened on May 23 and will remain on view through April 30, 2027.

Located inside the aquarium's reimagined Pacific Visions gallery, Jelly Dreamscapes showcases hundreds of sea jellies from around the world across 25 habitats, with more than 7,700 gallons of saltwater. The darkened gallery is filled with ambient lighting, immersive projections, holographic displays and dreamlike soundscapes designed to make visitors feel as though they've drifted beneath the ocean's surface.

Visitors can get an up-close look at colorful sea nettles, glowing ctenophores (often called comb jellies), moon jellies and dozens of other species sourced from regions ranging from North America and Japan to Fiji and beyond. Aquarium staff plan to rotate more than 40 species through the exhibit over the coming months, meaning repeat visitors may see entirely different creatures.

Part of what makes the display so impressive is that most of the animals weren't collected from the wild. According to the aquarium, nearly all of the sea jellies on display were raised through its own aquaculture program. Behind the scenes, staff cultivate plankton, maintain specialized habitats and carefully monitor water temperature, salinity, pH levels and lighting conditions to keep the animals thriving.

The exhibit also explores the surprisingly fascinating biology of sea jellies. These ancient creatures have existed for more than 500 million years (they even predate dinosaurs by hundreds of millions of years) and have managed to survive despite lacking brains, hearts and bones. Some species can grow tentacles stretching more than 100 feet long and others are so tiny they're nearly invisible.

If your idea of a perfect summer outing involves glowing creatures, mesmerizing movement and learning how something with no brain has managed to outlive most life on Earth, Jelly Dreamscapes may be the most relaxing trip you'll take all year.