Shell museum introduces new abalone exhibit
The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium on Sanibel recently opened a new exhibition, “All That Glitters Is Not Gold: Amazing Abalone Shells.”
Shells of the abalone group of marine gastropods represent a diversity of color, pattern and visual impact that is matched by very few others. Many abalones have an otherworldly, iridescent quality that is prized as a source for jewelry, decorative objects and mother-of-pearl.
The exhibit of 60 abalone shells from the museum’s collection showcases wide-ranging varieties from around the globe, focusing on their unique beauty, factors that make the shells appear the way they do, classification, fisheries and conservation status.
Organized by museum curator and Science Director Dr. José H. Leal, “All That Glitters Is Not Gold” is the first in a new series of rotating, focused exhibitions of shells. Future exhibit subjects may include groups or families of shells, geographic location, rarities, exceptional private collections and more.
“The museum’s collection of over 550,000 specimens contains countless gems such as these abalones,” he said. “We look forward to introducing these and other beautiful and rare groups of shells through this new exhibition series in the future.”
The exhibit is made possible by a grant from the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation.
For more information, visit ShellMuseum.org/special-exhibitions.
The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium is at 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel.