We were here more than 10 years ago, but the museum has come back bigger and better after surviving hurricane Ian. There's even a sign showing how high the water came up to in the building. It was heavily damaged, but was able to reopen in 2023. This museum is unique as the only one in the U.S. that is dedicated to shells and mollusks. There are two floors. The museum showcases shells from all over the world and the marine animals related to them. Exhibits show the usage of shells throughout history from the Calusa Indians making weapons of the conch shells to the pearls and nacre buttons. As well as various decorations and jewelry. The kids will enjoy the aquarium and touch tank. You can even pet the "foot" of a mollusk. And the gift shop has some neat toys. If you're looking for a change of pace and an inside venue, this is a must see attraction on island. You'll also have a much better idea of what the shells are that you collect as you walk the beaches here. read more

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So great to see that one of our favorite museums on island survived and came back even stronger. Hurricane Ian was devastating but the museum still maintains its educational and tourism value and contributions to the community. We saw a lot of new exhibits during our time here today. If you visit Sanibel make this one of your stops! read more

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Super fun stop on Sanibel Island if you're looking for something to do for about an hour! I had never been to a shell museum before, so I was definitely intrigued. Admission is $25, and they offer discounts for kids and first responders. It's also a small aquarium, which was fun to see! There are two floors, with the aquarium located on the first floor. It's not huge, but they have several tanks and even a touch tank, which is great for kids you can touch different mollusks and starfish! The second floor is dedicated entirely to shells, and it's honestly amazing how many shells exist and how extensive their collection is. They have a variety of displays explaining the history of certain shells and sea life, which made it really interesting to walk through and learn something new. Overall, it was a nice addition to our trip to Sanibel Island. We did this on our first afternoon on Island it was the perfect amount of time. I'd definitely recommend it if you're in the area! read more

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When I arrived, I thought I would see only high-quality shell displays. When I left, I realized it was much more interactive and educational than that. You see shells, yes, but you also see the animals that create the shells, and for which the shells are home. The total experience was fun for me, but would have been even better with kids, seems like the perfect place for a school field trip. Thanks, B-MNSM&A, for a great visit. read more

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - Exterior brand mark installation. - Museums Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

After a great tour at Ding Darling wildlife refuge, my mom and I wanted to go somewhere indoors. The shell museum was very closeby, and I remember visiting this place a long time ago. It was able 18 dollars per person for admission (15 if you are senior). We were informed about the exhibits, and started downstairs to the aquarium area. We did get to see couple types of fish, including a pretty big octopus. However, I was a bit sad that the tank was quite small for it. There was also a small touch tank where you can gently touch some types of fish (as long as you wash your hands). After the aquarium, we went upstairs for the shell exhibit. There was an area that showed various types of shells, as well as a history of using shells, and a small area to watch a documentary about shells. The exhibits were pretty nice, but quite small. For 18 dollars, I must say this was very expensive! The exhibits were very small, and I believe some where undergoing repairs after the hurricane. We finished evening in about 30 minutes. However, the quality of displays were very good, and the staff were friendly and helpful. There was a small gift shop, but we didn't go inside. There was an elevator available, which was very helpful for my mom. I remembered this museum having a large collection of shells, and you could spend an hour or two viewing the exhibits. That would have been worth the 18 dollars. However, I guess the hurricane must have damaged a lot of them, making it much smaller than I thought it would have been. If they reduced the price to about 10 dollars, then it have been worth the cost. However, I still enjoyed the shell exhibits and the aquarium. The staff was nice and parking was free. This is still a decent museum to enjoy and cool down after being outside in the hot from the beaches or parks. read more

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Really loved our visit to the shell museum. The volunteers were welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable and we spent a little less than an hour there exploring both levels of the facility. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

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What a beautiful place clean tanks are spotless everything is well taken care of very impressive great for children a good learning experience a must see read more

This was such a fun experience. As someone who grew up in California and has lived in San Diego coming to the east coast and experiencing these beaches the shells have been so beautiful. When we first arrived the person checking us in was friendly and knowledgeable, they even asked if we wanted to do a scavenger hunt. We saw the touch pools and then explored the museum more! The gift shop was cute as well it was a nice way to start the day at Sanibel! read more

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To be clear, this is a 3-star vs. higher - just because they are recovering from the hurricane. As a result, the major shell exhibits that they are famous for aren't there now. The aquarium is the main part now with 2 live octopuses, fish tanks, a touch pool, and even a manufactured giant squid. Only took 30 minutes and saw everything. read more

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excellent for young and old lots to see and do Great shell collection A must on the island read more

Our family's tag line for the Shell Museum is still "more interesting than you'd think". We haven't been back since the big hurricane and it's jarring to see the water line inside the museum where the storm surge reached. A lot of the exhibits sadly got destroyed so there is a reduced rate for the museum, which is nice. During this visit, everyone was so kind and we had such a great time. I can't remember the name of the lady who was working at the front desk, but she was great. Chris W who showed us the tanks was also great. We met the new octopus, who was very friendly. We also saw an upstairs exhibit "Shells in fashion" which was pretty cool, as well as a photography exhibit. The gift shop was also really nice and we purchased a few items there. We will always return next time we're on the island. :) read more

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Great way to spend an afternoon escaping the extreme UV index or the rainstorms. Took the 9 year old, 10 year old, 15 year old, and 11 week old and had a great time. The touch tank and aquarium were our favorite but the shell exhibits and discovery cart were great too. Highly recommend. read more

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This is without a doubt one of the best highlights on Sanibel Island - do not miss this place the next time you're here. It's small, sure, but it's a worthwhile stop if you're here for a week or a day. I was blessed with an incredible opportunity in visiting this location. I'll get to that soon, but first, admission. While I do think you should support the facility by finding some nice trinkets in the gift shop like I did myself, those of us who are more conscious with our wallets might be pleased to hear that there's discounts on admission for Students and Members of AZA Aquariums and Zoos. I myself am a member of the Roger Williams Park Zoo and was able to get a decent discount. This facility is an AZA-Accredited Facility and that is one of the best green flags I could see. This facility is small and unlike any other aquarium but that's not a bad thing at all. Though many people prefer colorful fish, which they do have, this facility focuses on those whom live in and out of their shells. Mollusks, Sea Hares, Conchs, and Octopus make up the majority of the collection, and there's a ton of education opportunities to learn about those species they have as well as those around the world. If you happen to see Carly, Jessie, or Chris around, I recommend taking the time to talk to them about the collection (so long as they're not busy!). I have been to many aquariums in my time, but this team is one of the most passionate and excited I've ever met. The amount of care and dedication these individuals lend to the species here prove they aren't *shellfish*, they truly do care and continuously work towards taking care of the species they not just take care of, but those locally in Florida too. Carly was able to tell us all about the work that the Aquarium and Museum does to constantly provide the best welfare possible for the species they house here. They have a bunch of touch tanks always operated by staff to ensure that the animals don't get too stressed and it's a treat to see - be sure to check out the Sea Hares and the Horse Conchs. Both incredible species. In addition to these, this location has other beautiful species to keep an eye out for, including the incredibly beautiful Flamingo Tongue Mollusk and a Giant Pacific Octopus. Upstairs is a grand display of shells from around the world that's not to be missed, with a lot of information on the use of shellfish in fashion and culture throughout time, and a photography exhibition on Sea Slugs. Should you be planning a trip to Sanibel Island, this place pairs greatly with CROW (Center for Rehabilitation of Wildlife), just be sure to arrive there before 11:00 - that's the only time their Clinic Tours start. If you're hoping to see some Wildlife, the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge is another incredible spot to see local nature such as Spoonbills, Osprey, and Short-Tailed Hawks. I can't recommend this facility enough. It was such a joy to visit and I encourage you on your next time visiting this island to check it out. read more

Such a neat museum! We don't expect all the touch pools or aquariums. Kids loved it and the staff were all very knowledgeable and passionate. We learned a ton and really enjoyed the presentations. Will definitely be back and highly recommend. Prices were extremely affordable! read more

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A wonderful Museaum! A lot to learn here and perfect for families and adults. There is even a hands on experience to touch some shells in water. The pricing to get in was perfect. Parking is in a big lot. I loved how all the shell displays were. Some shells were on handmade mini beds. It was so cute. I loved the experience to touch shells in the cold water. The staff there were really helpful and kind. They helped my son out. The museum was pretty open and not too crowded. The gift shop was nice as well. The staff in there helped us find nice shell stores that were legit and not going to take your money... or be a tourist trap. read more

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Interesting museum. First time here and it was a nice relaxing time to learned all about shells and we got to touch some snails. The scavenger hunt was a little confusing so we skipped it. A little pricey for admission. read more

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Honestly the idea of a shell museum is quite boring, but we had reciprocal membership so we decided to get our kiddos out of the heat. This place is small but quite spectacular considering the topic . My kids had a blast with all of the hands on activities. Definitely worth a trip to get out of the hot sun. read more

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Even though the shell gallery was closed for renovations (as of Apr 2024), I still had fun checking out what was available. Ticket prices are also lower since the whole museum is not fully reorganized since hurricane Ian. They had a fun scavenger hunt, which got me looking at parts of the exhibits I may have glanced over previously. The touch tanks are open, and feature many species of local and Pacific mollusks. The gift shop was fun too and featured many different shell ID guides. It will be exciting to revisit once the shell gallery and all the animal exhibits are open! read more

Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is located on Sanibel Captiva Rd. It was all started in 1984 by a local shell collector. Fast forward to present day, it's now the only accredited museum in the United States devoted solely to shells and mollusks. It truly is a one of a kind attraction on the island. Once you walk in you see the front desk. You will register and pay for your tickets. -Adult (18+): $23.95 -Youth (12-17): $14.95 -Child (5-11): $8.95 -Under 5: Free *Active-duty service members and their families are always welcome at no charge and discounts are available for seniors (65+), AAA, and AARP* After we paid for our tickets, the exploration began. The exhibits here are absolutely wonderful. We all loved learning the ins and outs of the animals. Here are all of the exhibits that they offer. -The Great Hall of Shells. ( Shells native to Sanibel Captiva, Shells from around the world, Record breaking sized Shells, Shells in Architecture, Art, and Human History, Sailors Valentines, Cameos, Shell Inlay, Buttons, and Bows). They have daily tours given by the educators in this area. -Aquariums and Touch Pools (an aquarium gallery filled with living mollusks. The animals that literally shells). Daily at 11 am they have an educator around to talk about the Giant Pacific Octopus that they have on display in a large aquarium. -Queen of the Sea( Educators give an explanation to the Conchs at this exhibit. 2pm Daily) -Mollusk Hospital: A Shell Folk Art Journey in 20 Rooms ( Mollusk Hospital is a group of 20 imaginative, miniature hospital rooms - from nursery to radiology to surgery to recovery - in which hundreds of shells are the patients) -Blackwater Moments: Nocturnal Photography of Open-Ocean Mollusks. (remarkable images of marine life swimming at night) The Museum also offers other educational opportunities outside of the normal museum experience. They have online lectures from scientists free of charge. (Spot the Mollusk, Cephalopods Coast to Coast) Adult education classes( Fantastic Shells and where to find them, Mound House Field Trip, A day in the life of an aquarist, Shell Ambassador Certification Course, Lighthouse Beach Marine Biology Field Lab) Just have to signup for all of them on certain dates . Dates given upon signing up. All and all this was a great experience. We've been coming here for years and never knew this place was here. We shall be returning for sure. read more

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Fun place. Learned a lot about the shells and got to pet some sea life. The staff is very knowledgeable about the shells and the sea animals on display. Fun location definitely a good spot to visit when in captiva. read more

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Fabulous museum on Sanibel Island. Admission is $25, but we used our reciprocating membership from a museum back home, and got in at no cost. You can also use your AAA card for a discount. One area has all kinds of different snails that you can hold, and school age kids would understand the Staff talking about them. There are also live mollusks and bi-valves. There are lots of posters and a few fish to view. Upstairs is the collection of shells from around the world. Displays include naturally colored ones, and every kind you can imagine. There is even a display of shells that are rare, and hard to find. The display of artwork is very nice, and word posters tell about our eco system in few words. We arrived at 10 a.m. opening, and walked right in. When we left at 11 a.m., a line was waiting. This is a non-profit organization. read more

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National shell museum is described as the Smithsonian of Shell Museum's. Very pretty building, many tanks, shells, and crustaceans from around the world. Interesting? a lot of info & pretty gift shop. read more

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We enjoyed our visit recently with our grandsons. They were especially excited to be able to touch some of the ocean animals. Since Hurricane Ian damaged the upper floor of the museum, that area was closed while undergoing restoration. However, the remaining exhibits are at eye viewing levels with brief, easy-to-read facts that both children and adults can enjoy. It was worth the visit, but once the rest of the museum is restored, we can anticipate an even more in-depth experience. read more

Alive or dead mollusks and bivalves are cool! We had a great time at the National Shell Musum on Sanibel island. It was really cool to see live mollusks next to the shells you find on the beach. The collection upstairs was a great way to learn about the shelled sea critters of Florida! It was a quick stop but well worth it! We only spent 30-45 minutes there. Parking is easy. It's a nonprofit so the ticket price was great and the shop was a delight. read more

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This expensive, expensive museum was a huge disappointment. It is $24 for adults and $9 for my 10 year old, and takes about 25 minutes. Instead of the fun, craft activities they used to have for kids where they could make little crafts with shells and things, they have a fancy building and broken exhibits. Only about 30% were working and only 1-2 of the touch tanks were open. read more

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - Example of a broken exhibit - Museums Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Great history of Shell's had so many cool animals! 3 floors, interactive for children and great shop ! read more

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - Flowers made of shell's - Museums Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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Amazing museum, with some of the largest shells I personally have ever seen. Very informative and interactive activities for all. My husband and I even created shell art in a specialty set up room, and were able to take them home. We are over 60, and had a blast doing this art! The staff were very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, we will definitely come back! read more

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This is a must stop if you're visiting Sanibel for more than a day. It's great for kids and adults and very fun and informative. You'll learn about all the different types of Shells you can find on Sanibel, to include the treasure and most rare of all, the Junonia! Plenty of parking and easy to find. read more

Nice place with a lot of interesting shells to view. There is an area with live mollusk to pet and a great impact wall that really sends a message. It is very small and probably not worth the price they charge but, if the money goes to saving the ocean then I support that. There was a nice woman at check in who found us additional discounts through AAA and college. I do appreciate that. Very clean and the employees are very friendly. Gift shop prices are reasonable also. read more

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - Museums Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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A "MUST-DO" when visiting Sanibel! Great for the kids also! Make sure you attend the presentation given by their BRILLIANT Marine Biologist! It will help you appreciate the museum that much more! They have a great craft room for the kids, and family-friendly exhibits. This teaches everyone about the importance of caring for our sea life! Absolutely brilliant afternoon! read more

Pros: -It's a nonprofit, workers & volunteers are extremely helpful and knowledgable & want to be there -So many cool shells! Extinct shells! Shells from 1700! World record shells! -Make sure you are there for a tank talk with the marine biologist, very knowledgeable and interactive demonstration with the live critters in the shells. She also will tell you the best places to look for shells on Sanibel. -Cute gift shop (We got a hand carved wood hammer head Shark and pelican) Cons -Expensive -It's basically one floor full of displays -Kids (kids seemed interested but if you're a group of adults there's sometimes field trips there) read more

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - Museums Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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A cute museum that will definitely give you more information on snails and shells than you will ever want. After getting in some kayaking in the hot Florida sun, we decided to stop by the Shell Museum before heading over to the beach to get some AC and learn about shells. Located over on the Captiva part of Sanibel, the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is a classic and very unique Sanibel attraction. We went inside and paid for admission ($11 per person, which isn't crazy, but is a little high for a smaller museum). We learned right away that every shell in the museum is real except for the huge shell at the entrance. We walked into their main area and found a huge globe in the middle of lots of fun and interesting shell exhibits. We learned various facts about snails around Sanibel and how snails and shells actually kill tons of people in other parts of the world (who knew?). While not a ton there, this part of the museum has lots of interesting information and unique exhibits. After looking around for about 20-30 minutes, we went to watch the movie in advance of the 1pm live presentation. The "movie theater" is just some chairs in a room with a tv on the wall. The movie they showed was essentially a lady who took a camera to the beach, saw some interesting patterns, and showed the camera various types of shells and snails. While really informative, the amateur nature of the film (various out of focus shots, weird transitions, overly long shots) came off more as a 10th grade science project rather than a museum documentary. While you learn a lot, I'd probably have to recommend skipping this part until they put together a newer video. After finishing the video, we went downstairs to see the live presentation being given by one of their marine biologist. While we thought it would be more of a demonstration or hands-on type of thing, it actually turned out to be a young lady who gave us a lecture on some of the darker things about snails and shells. We covered how certain snails eat other snails, how walking through a beach is like essentially walking through a snail cemetery, how you could go to jail if you take a living shell off the beach, and how terrible people sometimes throw or kick live shells out into the sea instead of gently setting them out there. While she provided lots of interesting information, it was a little intense and honestly made going to the beach afterwards a little depressing. Overall, the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is an interesting place to check out when visiting Sanibel that provides lots of insights into the world of snails and shells. However, unless you are a nature enthusiast that wants to search for snails and their "bones" on the beach, you should probably check this place out near the end of your trip. read more

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I was very skeptical when we decided to check out this museum. I couldn't believe that there would be enough to justify the entry fee. I was wrong. The museum is fairly small, but there's a lot packed in there. There are displays of shells from around the world. We also had the chance to make some shell art in a separate room. They have "tank talks" in the basement where you can see live shell animals and hear about them. read more

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - Museums Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

A great way to spend some time indoors while in the area! My visit took place in mid- to late-January. I arrived a little late in the afternoon, just a couple hours before they closed. Rather than tour the museum section, I opted to take in the roughly half-hour live tank presentation downstairs and follow up by watching the 2 movies (30 minutes each) in the theater. The young lady who gave the presentation was very knowledgeable and made for a wonderful lesson in all things related to shells. With live mollusks to use in the demonstration (and daily additions from the local beaches), she explained things that I never knew. At the end, she performed a question and answer period. After the presentation, I headed up stairs to the theater. The back to back documentary type movies were well done and provided much more background information about all things mollusk. When I was leaving, they said to come back in the next couple of days with my receipt and I would be allowed to take another look around on the original fare. Very nice, their hospitality was genuine. There is a small gift shop for those inclined to pick up a thing or two during their visit. I asked about AAA or military discount. They gave me military rate of $10 adult. It will be worth another visit the next time I am in the area. read more

Before you even hit the beach on Sanibel or Captiva, visit this museum first! It is so educational and just fascinating! You will learn about the different types of seashells, what you can find here on the islands, as well as seeing seashells from all over the world. World-record shells included! This museum is super kid-friendly with plenty of hands-on exhibits too including touch ranks where you can touch live shells. If you've been to this museum in the past but not recently, it's completely renovated and you won't even recognize the interior. We loved the live octopus tank downstairs as well as the beautiful exhibits upstairs. And their gift shop has some unique items, from books and kitchenware to jewelry and art. I ended up purchasing a museum membership for my family as it was more cost effective and we could visit more than once while we stayed the week - another bonus is that you get a 20% discount in the gift shop and reciprocal benefits from other National museums. If you're curious about all the shells on Sanibel and Captiva, you'll love this adventure - and it's a greats place to spend a few hours in air conditioned comfort. read more

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This place surprised me. I was expecting a bunch of beautiful labeled shells from the region. What I got was a massive education on the living animals (mollusks, gastropods, etc.) that shells are home to. Micro-mollusks to Deep-sea Mollusks. Mollusks as food to shells as art. It was easy to spend 3-4 hours there. Very fascinating. The volunteer dosant in the learning lab gave us a demo of some live animals from a live shell tank and was very informative. I now know more than most of the sex life of mollusks ;-) I also highly recommend the two rotating short videos played in the small theater every half hour. Check out their website to start your education. These animals are misunderstood and more important to us than you think. read more

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - Beautiful Cameo carved into this large Conch shell. - Museums Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

If you like shells, then you have to stop here and check out the museum. They have shells from all over the world. The place does a nice job explaining how different shells grow with some having 50 shells to show the growth. Couple of films you can watch on different subjects. The main room is round and you can work in a clockwise pattern to see everything. Prices was $9 a person, also Raymond Burr of TV was big into shells and helped to raise money for them when he was alive. There is several photos of him shelling and raising money. Amazing see the sailor's valentines in a wood case (box, one is table) made from hundreds to thousands of shells with a pattern and sometimes spelling out so words. read more

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - Museums Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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Little disappointing since all the interactive displays are turned off because of covid. However the $24 entry fee wasn't effected by covid. Small, 2 floors and can be done in 45 mins. Masks on the mannequins, really?? read more

Excellent museum and well worth the price - They're doing a good job of requiring masking and getting people to maintain social distancing in an area which otherwise feels like a super spreader event - These may be the only intelligent people on the entire island so it's well worth your while supporting them read more

My mom is an avid shell collector, so she cajoled us into visiting the Shell Museum during our recent week in Sanibel and Captiva. What a pleasant surprise! I learned so many interesting tidbits about mollusks during a highly informative and at times rather amusing film. I have quite a respect for the little guys now that I know more about how they eat, move, and reproduce. The only downside? It took some fun out of eating mussels at Sweet Melissa's that evening! The live demonstration was also educational, albeit a bit redundant after watching the movie. The exhibits were engaging and as interactive as a shell museum could be. The Sailor's Valentine section was a particular standout. Yes, the admission price is a bit steep ($11/adult), but it's a great way to while away an hour or two when the weather is uncooperative or you've had too much sun. read more