The Great Hall of Shells
The Great Hall of Shells is the historic heart of the Museum, with extensive permanent exhibits of shells in a striking octagonal gallery space with 30-foot ceilings. Following significant damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022, the Museum embarked on a full re-design and re-installation of the shell exhibits and the Great Hall.
The Great Hall of Shells partially reopened in May of 2025, featuring extraordinary specimens from all over the world that are highlights selected from the Museum’s collection of nearly 600,000 shells. Themes of these exhibits include global biodiversity, shapes and colors, and time and evolution; and special focuses on groups including cones, cowries, volutes, murexes, scallops, and carrier shells.
The second phase, located in the periphery of the Hall, has just reopened in October of this year. This final phase includes exhibits on Southwest Florida Shells, World Record Shells, Florida Land Snails, Florida Fossil Shells, shells in human History and Culture, use of shells by the Calusa people, and Conservation and Environmental Issues as they relate to mollusks. The completion of this phase marks the end of the Museum’s rebuilding following Hurricane Ian in 2022.
