Newport Aquarium Cuts Ribbon for New $1.5 Million Exhibit

Newport, Ky. (March 18, 2025) – The official ribbon cutting for Newport Aquarium’s new exhibit, Jellies: Go with the Flow was held today. The new $1.5 million, 1,700 square foot exhibit represents the first physical expansion of the aquarium in more than 15 years. The space, designed to be a tranquil, relaxing escape, will feature more than 100 jellyfish from six unique species, floating in over 1,500 gallons of water.

Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the exhibit with “behind the glass” tours designed to show how the Newport Aquarium animal care team propagates these amazing creatures. The new space is particularly unique because it looks different from the rest of the aquarium in look, color and overall tone. The vibrant colors throughout the space make it a highly “instagrammable” opportunity for guests. The exhibit lends itself to a truly educational experience for kids of all ages as well as adults curious to learn more about the important roles jellies play in oceanic ecosystems.

“’Jellies: Go with the Flow’ is a direct response to visitors who provided feedback and requested this very type of exhibit,” said Rebecca Foster, Executive Director, “This will be a truly immersive experience that will amaze, entertain and most of all, educate our visitors. This exhibit demonstrates our commitment to bringing new and innovative opportunities for guests to have a truly transformative educational experience with every visit.”

The exhibit will include seven habitats filled with more than 1,500 gallons of salt water. In the water lives nearly 100 jellyfish in total with six different species represented, including:

• The South American sea nettle (Chrysaora plocamia): This species can grow up to 10 ft. flowing tentacles.
• Upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea spp.): This unique species lives upside-down to help photosynthesize the algae in its tissues.
• The dwarf lion’s mane (Cyanea versicolor): Never-before-seen in the Cincy region, these jellies are sometimes called “ghost jellyfish” due to their translucent appearance.
• Blue blubber jellyfish (Catostylus mosaicus): A brightly colored species that pulses and undulates in a distinctive staccato pattern.
• White spotted jellyfish (Phyllorhiza punctata): This species, named for their signature white spots on their bells, adds extra color and pizzazz to the exhibit.
• Moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita): A guest favorite for its hypnotic rhythmic motion. This translucent species is relocating to the new exhibit, where three of its life stages will be on display.

About Newport Aquarium

Newport Aquarium, founded in 1999, is located across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati at Newport on the Levee. It is home to a vast collection of aquatic species and unparalleled interactive experiences like a shark bridge, touch exhibits, and up-close animal encounters. As a proud fully accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for more than 22 years, Newport Aquarium is held to the highest standards in animal care and exhibition.

Newport Aquarium is part of Herschend’s collection of wholesome family brands. Herschend, the world’s largest family-owned themed attractions company, has been Bringing Families Closer Together by Creating Memories Worth Repeating® for 75 years. Its 12,000+ passionate employees (hosts) collectively entertain 15 million families every year across North America, including at iconic award-winning destinations such as Dollywood® Parks & Resorts, Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts®, Adventure Aquarium®, Callaway Resort & Gardens®, Kentucky Kingdom Theme & Water Park®, Newport Aquarium®, The Vancouver Aquarium® and Wild Adventures Theme Park®. In addition to its premier themed attractions, Herschend is proud to steward the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters® legacy and provide immersive content and experiences through our Herschend Entertainment Studios® and Pink Adventure Tours® brands.