The International Academy of Visual Art recently awarded the National Aquarium’s new jellies website, www.aqua.org/jellies, two awards. The website was launched in conjunction with Jellies Invasion: Oceans Out of Balance, one of the Aquarium’s newest exhibits. R2integrated (R2i), a leading Internet marketing technology company, worked closely with the National Aquarium’s interactive department to help launch the new website.

Jellies Invasion: Oceans Out of Balance at the National Aquarium will explore how Jellies have survived – and thrived – amidst environmental changes that have negatively affected other forms of sea life. Jellies are nearly invisible, but they are everywhere including the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, and even Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Nine different species of these unique and pre-historic creatures will be on display in an exhibit that is as mysterious and colorful as the Jellies themselves.

This summer, it’s a perfect storm of prehistoric thrills as Dinosaurs and Jellies descend upon the Maryland Science Center and the National Aquarium and spur a WATERFRONT INVASION of activities, events, concerts, outdoor movies and other promotions around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. While the city prepares for this epic invasion, families and travelers are encouraged to take the steps necessary to prepare for ferocious fun in Baltimore. The invasion begins Saturday, May 23, 2009.

Jellies Invasion: Oceans Out of Balance opens in less than a month! Aquarists begin collecting, maintaining and breeding animals months before an exhibit opens. The jellies are being collected from natural habitats and from other institutions around the world. In fact, we just received a shipment of blue blubbers and lagoon jellies last week from Japan.

The Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association (BACVA), the Maryland Science Center, the National Aquarium, and Baltimore’s Waterfront Partnership have formed a unique marketing partnership to promote summer visitation to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.