Welcome to a Laysan Island Street View. Simply use your mouse for a virtual tour of Laysan Island, which is otherwise off-limits to the public. Laysan Island was discovered by Europeans in the 19th century, with its first recorded sighting by a Russian mariner, Captain Urey Lisianski, in 1828. Lisianski was an officer in the Russian Imperial Navy and a navigator and explorer. He encountered the island during his voyage around the world and named it “Lisianski Island” after himself. However, the name eventually evolved to “Laysan,” reflecting its current designation. It’s important to note that prior to European discovery, it’s very likely that the island was known to Polynesian navigators, though there is limited historical documentation to confirm this.