The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is devoted to all things shells. Some of its exhibits include:
- Shells of Sanibel and Captiva
- Shells from around the world
- Record-breaking sized shells
- Shells in architecture, art and human history
- Sailors' Valentines
- There also is a children's learning lab with displays, shell games and live tank demonstrations. Read more about the exhibits on the Shell Museum website.
New in 2020: “Beyond Shells: The Mysterious World of Mollusks," $6 million aquarium experience.
Want to get up close and personal with some of the most beautiful shells in the world, which are nestled on Sanibel's beaches? Take a guided beach walk with museum staff. They are available throughout the year.
There are more mollusks in the ocean than any other kind of animal, and in 2020, a new aquarium just for mollusks, which never has been created before, according to museum officials, will give visitors an unobstructed view of how these animals live.
Cost: $23.95 for adults, $21.95 for seniors, $14.95 for ages 12-17 and students with ID, $8.95 for ages 5-11 and free to children younger than 5 and active military. Visitors who bike to the museum receive $1 off admission.
