bailey-matthews national shell museum and aquarium

in an attempt to escape NYC winter 2026, my boyfriend and i traded the city for sanibel island. sadly, we brought the cold with us and spent most of our time shell hunting on the beaches in our puffer coats.

shelling quickly became an obsession of mine, so discovering the bailey-matthews national shell museum felt like fate.

the museum itself is small, but so mighty. it serves as the most stunning collection of shells i’ve ever seen. we learned about mollusks and uncovered the cultural and biological importance of shells, easily spending a few hours in the museum. it’s definitely a gem if you’re ever on sanibel or captiva island.