SANCAP CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Well-wishers gather to welcome the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium's phase one reopening on Sanibel with a SanCap Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting on March 4.

Only two and half years after debuting its Living Gallery of Aquariums, the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium on Sanibel lost about 80% of its marine life and everything but the ground level’s 11 structural aquarium tanks to Hurricane Ian in 2022.

On March 4, it celebrated the complete restoration of the aquariums and its Museum Store with a ribbon-cutting with the SanCap Chamber of Commerce. The museum’s second level is expected to reopen later this spring.

“Like a lot of people and organizations, the overall difficulty, pace and unpredictability of the rebuilding process has been and continues to be a major challenge,” Executive Director Sam Ankerson said. “There’s so many different inputs and factors; getting them to work in sync with each other is a challenge I’m sure many can identify with.”

He and two staffers were able to reach the museum on Oct. 2, 2022 — four days after Ian hit. They released surviving indigenous mollusks and handed off exotic species to staff from The Florida Aquarium in Tampa to harbor during the museum’s down time.

“Without the support of the communities of the islands, shelling enthusiasts, and local and regional governments, there would not be a recovery for the museum,” Ankerson said. “From philanthropy to volunteer sweat equity to assistance in navigating the post-storm chaos and ongoing bureaucratic challenges, the overall solidarity and support is essential and something we’ll never forget.”

The aquariums hold basically the same mollusk populations as before — 60 different species and 350 animals — including headliners like the two-spot octopus, junonia, giant clam, seahorses and flamboyant cuttlefish. The popular giant Pacific octopus will return at a later date. Exhibit space has been expanded to provide more information about the biology of the animals and how the museum cares for them, plus nine new informational videos.

The museum temporarily opened its second-level Great Hall of Shells and exhibit space last year between February and April. It will now take the opportunity to institute a redesign that was in the plans before the storm.

“The reopening of the shell museum is huge for the islands’ overall recovery and economic outlook,” chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai said. “It is a pillar of the islands’ conservation ethic and tourism industry, and we applaud its return and ongoing progress.”

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium is at 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel.