Shell museum to present final lecture in series
The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium on Sanibel will conclude its 2026 Season Lecture Series at the museum, at 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel. The final one will be on:
– April 8 at 5:30 p.m.: “The Future of Florida’s Coasts: What We Can Learn from the History of Tampa Bay” with Florida Atlantic University (FAU) history professor Dr. Evan Bennett
From pollution to development to cultural loss, challenges loom for those who live on Florida’s coasts. The history of Tampa Bay provides a great model for how Floridians can move forward. Seemingly doomed ecologically and culturally by the 1970s, the bay has rebounded and today is a healthy estuary and site of vibrant cultural developments.
The talk will illuminates that story and the efforts of determined people and organizations who committed to saving Tampa Bay and its sustainability as a place and resource for all.
Bennett’s most recent book is “Tampa Bay: The Story of an Estuary and Its People.” It won the Silver Medal in Florida Nonfiction from the Florida Book Awards and the Stetson Kennedy Prize from the Florida Historical Society.
The cost is $10 for non-members and free for members.
Registration includes choice of wine, beer or non-alcoholic beverage and light snacks.
The series is supported by the Sam and Francis Bailey Clean Water Education Center, Leslie Fleischner, and Joan and Don Sherman.
To register or for more information, visit https://shellmuseum.org/learn-and-experience/lectures/.
The website also features a free archive of previously recorded lectures for viewing.
The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium is at 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel.