Events Archive | Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
On a coastline shaped by tides, storms, and the quiet migrations of marine life, jellyfish can seem like the ocean’s most mysterious residents: beautiful, ancient, and slightly unnerving.
By Edit Sarasota Staff
On a coastline shaped by tides, storms, and the quiet migrations of marine life, jellyfish can seem like the ocean’s most mysterious residents: beautiful, ancient, and slightly unnerving. For World Jellyfish Day, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is inviting Sarasota to look closer at these drifting creatures—not as beachside nuisances, but as essential participants in the life of the sea.
The free virtual jamboree, “Get Your Jelly Jam On,” promises an accessible tour through the weird and wonderful world of jellies. Presented through the Mote Science Education Aquarium, the program will explore the jellyfish life cycle, introduce viewers to some of Mote’s mesmerizing species, and consider why these gelatinous animals matter to healthy marine ecosystems.
Jellies occupy a curious place in the public imagination. Their translucent bodies and rhythmic movement make them natural stars of an aquarium, yet their biology is far more complex than their seemingly simple forms suggest. They have survived for hundreds of millions of years, adapting to changing oceans and playing roles as predators and prey. In Florida waters, they are also part of the seasonal rhythms familiar to anyone who spends time along the Gulf—whether swimming, fishing, boating, or watching the shoreline change with the weather.
That combination of wonder and relevance is central to Mote’s work. Founded in Sarasota in 1955, the independent marine research institution has long connected scientific discovery with public education and conservation. Its aquariums and education programs offer a window into the Gulf of Mexico and the wider ocean, translating research into experiences that can make marine science feel immediate and personal. A virtual program focused on jellies extends that mission beyond the aquarium’s galleries, allowing families, students, and curious adults to gather from wherever they are.
World Jellyfish Day offers an especially fitting occasion for that kind of gathering. The animals may be soft-bodied and nearly silent, but they illuminate larger questions about ocean health, resilience, and our changing relationship with the water surrounding Sarasota. A closer look at a jelly’s life cycle can become a lesson in adaptation; a glimpse of a living specimen can turn an abstract ecosystem into something vivid and memorable.
“Get Your Jelly Jam On” takes place Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as a free virtual event hosted through the Mote Science Education Aquarium. It is an inviting way to spend an evening—or simply a little time—drifting into the fascinating world of jellies with Mote’s educators and scientists.