After Hurricane Ian significantly damaged the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium on Sept. 28, 2022, it’s been a lengthy period of time to rebuild the popular Southwest Florida attraction located on Sanibel Island.
A big piece of its comeback was the completion of Phase 1 of the museum’s full re-design and re-installation of its shell exhibits and the Great Hall. The Great Hall opened on May 24.
“Our goal is to convey to visitors the stunning beauty and diversity of shells, and important roles that the mollusks that make them play in biodiversity, natural history, and our environment,” said Dr. José H. Leal, the Museum’s Science Director and Curator who organized the new exhibits. “We are thrilled with the result and can’t wait for visitors to enjoy these exhibits.’’…