Shell museum rebrands in advance of reopening
Visitors and friends of the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum will soon notice a new name and logo adorning the longstanding Sanibel institution.
In advance of its early 2024 reopening and reflecting the significance of aquariums added in 2020, the museum announced its renaming to the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium. Simultaneously, a new logo and graphic identity will help guide a rebranding of the institution, which is also motivated by a redesign and reinstallation of its permanent exhibit spaces, including the Living Gallery of aquariums and marine life and the shell exhibits of The Great Hall of Shells.
The museum opened in 1995 on land donated by members of the Bailey and Matthews families, of Sanibel. A natural history museum with a focus on shells and mollusks, its collection of shells and related specimens grew to over 550,000. In 2010, the museum was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The addition of aquariums comprising of 11 tanks and 10,000 gallons of water and exhibiting over 60 species of marine life transformed the educational and visitor experience in 2020. Last year, the museum was accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, shortly before it was severely impacted by Hurricane Ian.
“Following over a year of rebuilding and re-imagining the museum, its exhibits, and its educational and experiential value to the public, the national shell museum and aquarium is poised to embrace 2024 as a renewed and improved cultural resource, to flexibly offer year-round educational programs for all ages, and to continue to represent the best in public understanding and enjoyment of shells, mollusks and their ecosystems,” Executive Director Sam Ankerson said.
For more information, visit ShellMuseum.org.