Post-Hurricane Rebuilding

Following a period of being open to the public from February 1 to April 28, the Museum has closed again as reconstruction begins in earnest. We are excited to rebound, make repairs, make improvements to the galleries and visitor experience, and to re-open the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum as soon as possible. 

The Living Gallery of aquariums and marine life will be restored, and again feature the beloved Giant Pacific Octopus, Giant Clams, Cuttlefish, Florida mollusks, and over 60 species of marine life. The exhibits of the Great Hall of Shells will be updated and refreshed, exhibiting thousands of beautiful shells from all over the world. We will be back as soon as we can, and we look forward to welcoming you. 

Educational programming and ways to engage with the Museum for adults and children continues during this rebuilding process, and we encourage you to visit the Education section of the Museum’s website for more information. 

An online exhibition, In the Wake of the Flood: Community Photographs of Hurricane Ian and Its Impact, is available here.

We can’t wait to see you on Sanibel and at the Museum, and are working daily towards that goal. 

If you would like to support the Museum’s rebuilding, please click here.

Thank You.