top of page

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium held its annual benefit gala on Saturday, February 8, 2025, and celebrated 30 years as the one and only accredited museum in the U.S. of shells, mollusks, and their ecosystems.
The Still the One gala was presented by The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company, which has been the presenting sponsor for the Museum’s annual benefit events for 21 consecutive years. Still the One was a tremendous success, raising funds for a wide range of educational offerings by the Museum including K-12 school programs, clean water education, and lifelong learning. The gala was also among the most fun in the Museum’s history, with live music by The Rockefellers filling the dance floor into the night.
The Museum’s next 30 years will build upon the success of its first 30, with education for all at its heart. This includes:
-
Exhibits and gallery experiences that connect people’s love of shells with the broader ecology and conservation issues they are a part of
-
Direct instruction to over 20,000 Southwest Florida school children annually, with plans to grow this impact further still
-
Education about water quality, changing coastal habitats, and other regional environmental issues for which mollusks (and their shells) are key indicators
-
Expanded offerings of lectures, classes, citizen science opportunities, and field education
-
Pursuit of research to yield new discoveries about the biology and ecological importance of mollusks, and how we can protect their ecosystems
-
Through an incredible museum experience, robust programs, and creative and dedicated staff, we will serve the community and educate millions more in the years to come!
We are grateful for our community's interest, attendance, participation, and overwhelming generosity. THANK YOU for this important investment in the Museum’s future!

























bottom of page