Bailey-Matthew Shell Museum - Sanibel, Florida

Get Acquainted with Mollusks at the Bailey-Matthew Shell Museum. The Bailey-Matthew Shell Museum, located in Sanibel, Florida is a one of a kind natural history museum with an unbelievable collection of shells and preserved specimens. The museum opened in 1995 and has been attracting shell enthusiasts and collectors ever since. It is a great place to learn more about the natural world.

The museum has a number of different exhibits, each of which has a variety of shells and information about mollusks from around the world and in the museum’s Floridian backyard. The following are just a few of the wonderful exhibits and displays you will see when you visit the Bailey-Matthew Shell Museum.

Calusa, the Original Shell People

This exhibit explains how the native people of southwest Florida, the Calusa, used shells in their everyday life. The display also contains a variety of shell tools, such as a shell hammer, anvil, and fishing implements that the people used. You can also see life-sized models of a father and son working with the shells.

Kingdom of the Landshells

In this exhibit, you will find a collection of air-breathing snails that inhabit backyards and forests around the world. This is a wonderful place to see the vast differences in types of snail, as well as learn about how these amazing creatures are disappearing due to the development of their habitats.

Mollusks, Medicine, and Man

The display at this exhibit details a variety of mollusks and shows how they can be either beneficial or harmful to humans. Some carry disease, while others have healing properties.

Children’s Learning Lab

Kids will love all of the different interactive displays here, which include shell games and a live shell tank. Adults will have a good time watching and helping their children in this area.

Cephalopods

This exhibit highlights the three remaining forms of cephalopods: giant squid, nautilus, and octopus. You will see photographs, text, and life-sized models to help explain their behavior and lifestyles.

You may also want to make reservations for a guided tour. This tour, in addition to seeing all of the museum’s exhibits, also includes a slide show detailing the lifestyles of a variety of mollusks and a chance to see a hands-on display of shells from Florida.

The museum is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission for adults 17 and over is $7, children 5 – 16 are $4, and those 4 and under are free. A visit to the Bailey-Matthew Shell Museum is sure to be both fun and educational. Don’t miss it on your trip to Sanibel.

3075 Sanibel-Captiva Rd.
Sanibel Island, FL 33957
Phone: 239-395-2233