Explore Our History

Blue Ribbon for Purple-Striped Jellies

The Aquarium receives the Bean Award, the highest honor bestowed by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), for work initiated by husbandry research biologist Freya Sommer in the propagation of purple-striped jellies. The species had never reproduced before outside the wild, and Freya's success is the result of years of behind-the-scenes effort. In years to come, Aquarium scientists learn to culture many of the species of jellies on display.