The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum

Since 1995, The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum on Sanibel Island has remained the only museum in the United States that is solely devoted to shells and the mollusks that make them. ​ We are a natural history museum that exhibits beautiful shells from around the globe. Our world-renowned Malacologist and Marine Biologists are joined by highly educated volunteers to offer a wealth of knowledge, surprising facts, and rare insights into the lesser-known complexities of shells. Yes, there's science (and a lot of it!) and we also cover many cultural, historical, and culinary facets of shells. ​ Still, our greatest asset is an innate sense of curiosity and wonder about shells. We have a lot of fun here at the Museum. We thankfully never stop learning and sometimes even get a little goofy about new discoveries - whether brought to our attention by a guest, gleaned from our own research, or found within the larger scientific world. Come see us... you'll be glad you did!