Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum on Sanibel Island is the only museum in the United States devoted solely to shells and the mollusks that make them. In addition to its world-class shell collection, the museum features a living gallery aquarium with touch pools and live exhibits showcasing marine life native to Southwest Florida’s waters.

The Beyond Shells Living Gallery, added in 2020, transformed the museum into a hybrid natural history museum and aquarium, featuring live seahorses, octopuses, sea urchins, and other marine invertebrates alongside the renowned shell collection. The outdoor learning lab provides hands-on science experiences.

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is AZA accredited through March 2029 and conducts research on mollusk biology, shell formation, and marine biodiversity.