Museo Nacional de Conchas Bailey-Matthews & Acuario

Experiencia fantástica: Recently reopened after the devastation of hurricane Ian. Phase one of the shell exhibits are open and they are spectacular, many different shells from different parts of the world. The live aquariums are awesome and well maintained, the octopus is amazing to watch although the aquarium seems small for his size.

Experiencia fantástica: My 12 year old grandson and I enjoyed it very much! The aquarium is fun

Experiencia fantástica: Great way to spend an afternoon escaping the extreme UV index or the rainstorms. Took the 9 year old, 10 year old, 15 year old, and 11 week old and had a great time. The touch tank and aquarium were our favorite but the shell exhibits and discovery cart were great too. Highly recommend.

Experiencia positiva: Very informative and kid friendly.

Experiencia fantástica: Get museum that had lots of information. 2-3 exhibits, 20 minute video loop, touch tanks and a nice gift shop. I really enjoyed the ability to touch moon snails, sea hares, and abalones. I haven’t seen that at the different aquariums I’ve been to. They also have a separate touch tank with conchs and whelks that they alternate to give the animals a break. It wasn’t crowded on a Tuesday in July. Be aware that there is a tool to cross the bridge onto the island. Also there are discounted prices ($10/person) for teachers and students - it’s very much appreciated! Fantastic shell collection and more! Our stay was about 2 hours. Phase 2 of shell collection will come out later this summer (2025). I teach marine science and I appreciate the care and effort put into this museum and its research. Many people do not know about the astounding diversity of invertebrates and this is a great way to expose them to it!

Experiencia fantástica: The staff very knowledgeable, like the information they own. Rolled off their lips like it was second nature. I was impressed. I left inspired.

Experiencia fantástica: We enjoyed it. It's currently under construction, but there was still plenty to see. They have so many shells on display some of which are massive.

Experiencia fantástica: Savanna at the Touch Pool was very knowledgeable and extraordinary in how she introduced visitors to the touch pool, guided them regarding touching and offered background on the creatures in the pool. We also appreciated the time and patience Riley showed in answering various questions. My wife and I had not visited in over 15 years and we were amazed at the transformation in the building. We love shells but were taken by surprise at the various tanks containing creatures, the painted drawings illustrating the anatomy of various creatures, the touch pool, the glass cases with shells and the film, "Changing Seas." Thank you for your extraordinary care curation!!

Experiencia negativa: Unfortunately I cannot share a positive review for this attraction. I’m not sure if the museum is aspiring to improve but after our visit I felt thoroughly disappointed and that I had truly thrown the cost of admission out the window. The admission is not cheap and we were able to get through two floors of this museum in less than 30 minutes. Most of the exhibits of wall murals with the exception of one small room of sea shells which surprisingly claims to be the largest collection in the world. I just feel it’s not fair to charge what they are charging versus what they have to offer families.

Experiencia positiva: This is not my first visit here but I feel it was still lacking more shells. I did not have the heart to ask after the experienced, hurricanes Helene and ian. The museum is slowly getting upgraded and as always they provide educational information to the public they do have a live animal petting area for people can experience handling and seeing some sea creatures.. The exhibits are new as well as th theme throughout the museum.. it was not a bad visit you could still learn a lot from observing the shells displayed. It still is one for the bucket list if you visit Sanibel.

Experiencia fantástica: Very nice and informative shell exhibit. Ground floor is all live mollusks and some fish in aquarium exhibits. There is also a touch tank with various mollusk species. Gift shop is very nice. Had a great time.

Experiencia positiva: 4 stars only because they are still in the recovery stages of Hurricanes Ian and or Milton; some of the new shell exhibits are not fully opened, and small details like seat cushions, as well as things to do fell short.

Experiencia fantástica: This was a delightful surprise. On our many previous trips to Sanibel we somehow managed to miss this place. Downstairs had a lovely gift shop, a small touch tank, knowledgeable staff, and a couple of fish tanks. Including a Great Pacific Octopus display and presentation. Upstairs was the newly reopened shell display. Large circular room filled with beautiful shells, by the hundreds!

Experiencia negativa: this place SUCKS!!! They have absolutely NOTHING here, there's like 2 Nemo fish, a buttload of shells no one cares about and you can see everything in 20 seconds. Worst aquarium EVER!!!!!

Experiencia fantástica: We can't wait until the remodeling is done. Very interesting and educational. Young children will go through quickly and then be bored.

Experiencia positiva: I think they are almost back to normal after hurricane Ian and definitely need some more support after recovering! ❤️‍ When we visited the big shell exhibit wasn’t open for the public yet but they were working on that. I think it will be impressive to see once it’s done! Besides the big exhibit it’s a relatively small museum for a short visit. Which doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to see or learn. The employees and volunteers working there are really impressive! They know what they are talking about and enjoy sharing their knowledge with visitors. The shop is also really cool and worth a visit.

Experiencia fantástica: Show fishes, octopuses, shellsnails, movie, shells clothes, pet shellsnails, alot variety shells, all inside 1 floor and 2 floors are so clean and health. I ❤️ to come again. \m/_

Experiencia fantástica: We stumbled upon this museum and are so grateful we did! Beautiful, fun and informational. All ages will enjoy. You can spend as much or as little time as you have enjoying what I imagine is the only museum of its kind. Must go!

Experiencia positiva: Shell museum showing the vast diversity of shells from the local area. A must see if you are in the area.

Experiencia fantástica: Family friendly, beautiful displays

Experiencia positiva: Educational and beautiful. Great hall was closed for updates which was disappointing

Experiencia fantástica: Fun and informational! Highly recommend!!

Experiencia positiva: Very informative. Small, not much to see but enjoyed ourselves.

Experiencia fantástica: Nice exhibits with fish and the octopus was so interesting! Also, I enjoyed the talks from staff. The gift shop had a lot of choices.

Experiencia fantástica: Pretty great experience. The museum is small but more intimate than a large aquarium. The touch pool was cool, literally, and allowed me to touch some sea slugs.

Experiencia fantástica: I stop there twice a year while on vacation. The new octopus mesmerized me, but I cannot wait for the 2nd floor to open with the shells. For no other reason to stop, the gift shop is a must! There are books and puzzles, shirts, beautiful glass objects, jewelry and more. Love supporting!

Experiencia positiva: Don’t go here for the shells. Go to She Sells Sea Shells in town (for free) if you want to see a bunch of shells. The museum was great to see the octopus and live mollusks but they haven’t reopened their sea shell display yet since hurricane ian. They say the $12 entry fee reflects the fact that most of the shells aren’t on display.

Experiencia fantástica: What a neat, interactive museum. Stopped here spur-of-the-moment on a trip to the beach in the area. Had no idea this place existed, but I'm glad I came across it. Beautiful building, very reasonable fee, lots of great information. Tanks and interactive pools. Great for kids. They have a great gift shop too.

Experiencia fantástica: We enjoyed the museum. Loved the experience.

Experiencia fantástica: Loved the seahorses and Giant Pacific Octopus!A lot of great information on mussels, shells of every kind. Will be back to visit!

Experiencia fantástica: The museum was devastated by hurricane Ian, but it's almost back to 100%. Very much worth the visit, the shell exhibits will be back soon. Great for kids and adults. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable!

Experiencia positiva: Still in recovery from hurricane, but informative and has some nice exhibits and people are knowledgeable

Experiencia positiva: We enjoyed walking through and looking at the exhibits though I was expecting to see a bit more shells. They focus more on the mollusk so they did have a few tanks with animals to look at as well as a touch tank that was really interesting but very limited especially for the price.

Experiencia fantástica: Really fantastic place since the rebuild after the hurricane. Lots of interesting exhibits, very kid friendly.

Experiencia positiva: We stopped in the Shell Museum after a day at the beach. The large shell collection they have was not on display due to rebuilding from the hurricane. The had some live displays and several other exhibits. The price was less than normal due to the rebuild, but in my mind it was still a little pricey. Glad I went once, but don’t think I need to go back.

Experiencia positiva: Wonderful place to visit for an interesting hour or 2. They really deserve the support for the work they are doing to provide such an informative up close view of shells and sealife. The staff really goes out of their way to insure that visitors get the full experience. I loved the octopus exhibit and the staff speaker held our attention throughout the presentation. Kids also enjoyed it.

Experiencia positiva: Nice place to visit. Small but you learn about the local sea life and shells. It’s the only worthwhile thing to do on such a tiny little island in the middle of nowhere.

Experiencia fantástica: Best place to go after time shelling on the beaches! So much wonderful information and historical pieces! Great way to find out what shells you collected as staff are so helpful and friendly! Parking can be limited but easy to get if you are there right at opening, if not, wait a few minutes in the circle up front and someone will be leaving shortly! Beautiful building, layout and the gift shop is fantastic! Many of the items in the gift shop were elsewhere on the island but this shop was a few dollars less than everywhere else! Also, they have the Fahlo bracelets which are harder to find than expected in Ft. Myers!

Experiencia fantástica: Better than I expected, even if they aren't fully recovered from the hurricane. The aquarium tanks and octopus were favorites. Shout out to volunteer Linda Miller for a wonderful crash course on the shells and the living creatures who create them.

Experiencia fantástica: Extremely knowledgeable staff who enjoy sharing their knowledge with others. Touching is encouraged with appropriate sanitary requirements to protect living animals. Great for adults and children alike.

Experiencia fantástica: A very unique museum/aquarium as it’s focused primarily on shell fish like mollusks unlike most aquariums with mostly fish. A PBS video was offered that was appropriate to see prior to walking around the exhibits and tanks that held live shellfish. There’s a very nice museum store as well. They are still recovering from Hurricane Ian but it still is a very nice place to visit and support.

Experiencia fantástica: Cute little place to kill some time and learn about mollusks and shells.

Experiencia fantástica: It's small, but has some nice live exhibits as well as a plethora of displays on seashells. It's worth the $12 to check out for 90 minutes or so.

Experiencia fantástica: Somewhat limited shell displays at present (Feb 2025) but the aquatic displays are excellent and a presentation of the octopus was good. Staff was very knowledgeable and engaging.

Experiencia fantástica: A must see when on the island! Real cool touch exhibit and two exciting octopus. Nice outing and affordable. Real informative trip

Experiencia positiva: To be clear, this is a 3-star vs. higher - because they are recovering from the hurricane and the major shell exhibits that they are famous for aren't there now. The aquarium is the main part now with 2 live octopuses, fish tanks, a touch pool, and even a manufactured giant squid. Only took 30 minutes.Came out to find a bird on the car (see photo)

Experiencia positiva: Decent place, hopefully they finish their room sometime soon, it's still recovering from a recent hurricane.

Experiencia fantástica: This was a fun girls trip. The octopus was very active during our visit.

Experiencia fantástica: Great displays and the staff is very knowledgeable and you can go around with a small group with one of them on a personal interactive tour. The upstairs shell display is open, however they are still rebuilding out from Ian. It will be amazing when complete!

Experiencia positiva: Nice place. Very focused on educating visitors on mollusks. They have touch tanks for the kids to touch various species. Besides the tanks, there isn’t much to do for kids. I was expecting to see a large selection of actual shells , but they only had a few.

Experiencia positiva: Nice museum, had interactive displays. I just wish there had been more shells on display.

Experiencia positiva: I’m being generous - the broward show judge who works there said it was free but it was $12… okay BUT they warned us they had no shells but a couple of octopuses… hmmm . Will try again in 10 years perhaps.

Experiencia fantástica: Loved this museum!!very informative. Still recovering from ian. Can't wait to go back .the gift shop had many unique lovely items.glad I saw it advertised in paper.

Experiencia fantástica: Great 1-2 hour trip!

Experiencia fantástica: What a great way to spend the morning. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

Experiencia fantástica: We had a wonderful tour with Claire. It was very educational she explained things I never expected. Very nice little museum and aquarium.

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastic exhibits of live aquatic animals. Very enjoyable and educational.

Experiencia fantástica: Fun, educational place for kids and adults. Make sure to stop at the gift shop for a nice souvenir.

Experiencia fantástica: Awesome experience! Very welcoming staff full of information. If you come here to learn, you will no be disappointed as the staff is very knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions.

Experiencia fantástica: I was very impressed with the staff and presentations. Loved the giant octopus. Chris was very informative and spoke with us a while about sea life and the area. Thank you, everyone.

Experiencia fantástica: Wonderful visit! Staff were all very friendly and welcoming. Gave us lots of information about the aquatic exhibits and the local area! They are still in recovery from Hurricane Ian, and we would love to come back when they reopen the hall of shells on the second floor - which looked like it was coming along nicely.

Experiencia negativa: An open flag by your driveway indicates to people you are open. I understand you may close on Mondays but the flag shouldn’t be up. Dumb.

Experiencia fantástica: Very informative. We enjoyed speaking with the gentlemen that was at the live touch aquarium.

Experiencia positiva: We have visited sanibel for the past few years and this past trip in August, we decided to stop by the shell museum. It was pretty neat to see the shells that you are hunting for, and a lot of marine life. It was clean, and staff were welcoming. Gift area was nice, and fairly priced.

Experiencia positiva: Sweet, charming, educational, and relaxing with a warm, equally sweet, helpful, friendly staff. You'll gain a new found appreciation of mollusks. As of the time of this review, the main shell display upstairs was not open yet as they're rebuilding from Hurricane Ian in 2022. That part is supposed to reopen in November, and I'm sure would make this even more enjoyable. Highly recommend!

Experiencia fantástica: Excellent museum! You can tell so much planning, energy and work was put into this museum. It’s wonderful for all ages, plus it’s a bonus that it’s something other than shopping to do in the middle of the day to beat the heat. 5 stars!

Experiencia fantástica: Worth the trip if you are visiting Sanibel/Captiva! The staff is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what they do! Great exhibits!

Experiencia fantástica: The B/M's Shell Museum is always a fun stop. Whether you're a Floridian &/or a beach pro, or a true tourist who knows little about the Sealife here, you're gonna enjoy it. There's plenty to do & I'd alot about 2 hours for a visit (more if u want to really get into everything in depth & detailed cause there's so much information there). There is very beautiful aquariums, a "petting" room with a guide, for some specific sea creatures, informational film upstairs, along with a small-group presentation by expert. There's tons of other photos, models ; & information to view... As well as a fun scavenger hunt with prize if u finish. Kids and adults can both do it. Ypu walk freely & view at your own pace. They have the "milking" room where they treat their fish and other creatures they're helping & gathering data on (which is off limits to guests but still very cool. Lastly, Thank Mother Nature for saving this important place that's been here for decades! We thought we were gonna lose her after Hurricane IAN decimated The Island. A lot there was ruined and needed fixing and replacing, but it's already back up & running better than ever!! The old museum room of large shells & fossils did get ruined & they're in the process of getting something like it put back together as we speak!! Next year it'll hopefully be ready. Honestly, there's still so much to see there that it's way worth it, even w/the shells missing. Prices are great (VERY affordable!!). There's also a super cute gift shoppe w/great souvenirs, jewelry, awesome books, plushes & other interesting things for anyone looking to grab something cute or fun. Def. Recommend to check it out! ***No I don't work here... Lol. I just really support the Shell Museum & The Island. ✌❤️

Experiencia fantástica: Five stars and the main shell exhibit isn’t even open! We’ll be back once it does. Every staff member (especially Chris) was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and determined for us to enjoy our visit.

Experiencia fantástica: Great information about the creatures who create the shells! The aquarium part is fabulous and very informative. When we visited, the shell display was not yet restored. Nice to have senior pricing.

Experiencia fantástica: Fun, great setup, and really informative! The first level is all like an aquarium about shells... sometimes people forget shells all once house living things, so it's really interesting to learn about that. It also includes a hands-on experience where you can touch some of the creatures and their shells. Highly recommend checking out and supporting this place!

Experiencia fantástica: My girlfriend and I stopped in here after visiting the lighthouse beach. It was perfect to cool down for a couple of hours. Everyone was very friendly and knew a lot of facts about shells and the local sea life.

Experiencia fantástica: This place is really neat. The People here really know their local info and sea creatures! The staff is all super nice too. Theres a mobile scavenger hunt and afterwards they let you pick a shell to take home. The hall of shells they are famous for wasn't open as they are still rebuilding from the hurricane but it's still a great visit.

Experiencia negativa: Incredible seashell museum. Only has like 4 shells and the rest are pictures. The souvenir shop had more shells. I say incredible because being in Sanibel, with so many shells to find, the museum only has a few and the rest are pictures. For the price I think they should have way more variety to show. It felt like a waste of money to pay to enter this place.

Experiencia fantástica: Everybody here was sooo nice and knowledgeable. I felt like a kid again!!!Unfortunately we came during the nap time / break of some sea creatures that we wanted to touch in their live tank. But that’s ok because we still leaned a lot and had a great time. THIS IS A MUST SEE STOP !!!

Experiencia fantástica: The shell museum is open after the hurricane and it’s a wonderful place for an Air conditioned few hours learning about shells, ocean creatures and habitats. Kids loved the touch tank and scavenger hunt, and well definitely be back later in the summer when more exhibits are open

Experiencia fantástica: What a great place to visit and learn more about our sea shells! They are doing a wonderful job coming back from the devastation of Ian! We have enjoyed taking our visitors and are so glad this is back open!

Experiencia fantástica: The staff are amazing. Made the experience so much better. Great history and science.

Experiencia fantástica: The museum is still going through renovations, but don’t let that stop you. They have beautiful displays, aquariums with sea creatures and many tanks where you can see the mollusks and echinoderm up close and touch them!

Experiencia fantástica: We are so glad to see the museum has opened back up. We stopped in today and had a lovely visit. We got to hear a great talk on the two spot octopus, met some great animals in the touch tanks, and even learned about some things we saw recently that we had taken pictures of ourselves. Their gift shop is full of local finds, which we appreciate too. The staff here is so knowledgeable and friendly - they really make this place shine. We can't wait to see what the future holds!

Experiencia fantástica: Incredible experience! We learned SO much from Chris at the touch tanks, who was so kind and knowledgeable. Definitely sad to not see the second floor but understand it’s the time to repair and refresh from the devastating hurricane. The exhibits that were new on the first floor were very beautiful and interesting. So excited to come back to visit once everything is completed but definitely recommend that it’s worth visiting now to support the museum and see the beauty they have to offer.

Experiencia fantástica: We brought our son here on July 4, 2022 and we love this place! There's an interactive sea urchin / hermit crab pool on the bottom level where they can be pet after washing your hands and being sure to handle them carefully. A wonderful artist made an entire hospital display of shells on the second floor. All of the staff were nice and a few of these wonderful women actually stopped and gave us so much information about the place and the individual displays we happen to be standing next to. You can tell everyone who works here does so because they love it. They also have a really fun scavenger hunt you can do on your phone, my son got to pick a shell when he completed his scavenger hunt and it's still in his "favorite things" collection. Wonderful place, I truly hope you all the best in your recovery effort from Ian.

Experiencia fantástica: Wow! We love what they have done since the remodel! Went with my two little ones(1&4) and they enjoyed the exhibits and touch pools! We enjoyed the presentations by the marine biologists. Everyone was so friendly and knowledgeable. A must see when visiting beautiful Sanibel!

Experiencia negativa: Way overpriced. Not a lot of hands on exhibits, kids 9,7,5 were bored very quickly, more fun getting a shell identifier and going to the beach. Sad we blew$80 Go straight to gift shop instead of touring, spend your $$ there

Experiencia fantástica: Lots of really great exhibits, and things to look at. My girlfriend and I spent two and a half hours here and we probably could have stayed an extra 30 minutes, it was closing time. We went when there was a folk art shell hospital exhibit, over 20 boxes of shell art hospitals. Dioramas were on display. It's sort of neat, and sort of weird. 9 out of 10 would recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: I enjoyed visiting and learning so much at this museum. They had a live touch tank, various aquariums with fish and octopi. A shell learning display experience. A wonderful volunteer who answered every question addressed to her. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic! They had a theater to watch movies about mollusks. Plus a designer clothes display that showed how royals and actors have worn clothes made out of shells throughout the years. It is family friendly, air conditioned and a place to spend a couple of hours.

Experiencia positiva: Nice place. Clean bathrooms and friendly staff. $24 per adult to get in seemed like a lot and then after realizing how small it is, I felt like it wasn’t worth it. Aquarium was cooler than the shell section.

Experiencia fantástica: Beautiful museum! We'll definitely be back again!

Experiencia fantástica: Didn't think I'd find a lot of interest in shells, but this museum is a "must-see!" Small aquarium has been added since my last visit. Check out the Flamboyant Cuttlefish and their two octopi. Very kind and knowledgeable staff. We need EVERYONE to learn how to protect our oceans and the life in it that sustains us. Great afternoon activity!

Experiencia fantástica: We’ve been coming to SanCap for 7 years, and finally made it to the shell museum! Absolutely worth the stop! All of the volunteers are so kind and informative! The displays are unique and interesting to look at. We loved the octopi and learning more about them. The touch tanks were a great experience for all of us! Definitely stop in the gift shop - fantastic finds for sure!

Experiencia positiva: This was an ok place to visit. Pretty small, some of the displays were not very good, other were great. Biggest complaints were aquarium "executives" not sure who they were walking around with were being very loud which we were listening to the Octopus presentation. Very annoying and very distracting making is very hard to hear. In my opinion it's more like a $10 ticket price, not $25

Experiencia positiva: Kind of educational. Would have loved to find more guides standing around and telling you some thing about the things you see.

Experiencia fantástica: It was a nice museum for a small island. The talk about the octopus was very interesting and the girl that did it was a caretaker for the octopus and did a great job. She answered all our questions.

Experiencia fantástica: Extremely interesting..especially if you are a marine and shell fanatic. Beautiful gift shop and Great Fun for the Kids. We were there for 2 1/2 hours.

Experiencia positiva: This museum was an unique experience. The museum seems to take the route of explaining more about the mollusks that the shells are from compared to JUST being about the shells. There are many fun exhibits including movies, shell collections, and real life water tanks with mollusks. Even though sea horses aren't mollusks, they were definitely the star of the show for my family.

Experiencia fantástica: My wife, son, mother-in-law and I spent a week on Beautiful Sanibel Island, and the last day had some time before having to go to the airport so we decided that last day we would go to the National Shell Museum to kill some time. None of us were expecting much going in actually, but we were ALL Pleasantly surprised and would absolutely recommend the visit. Lots to see, interesting and educational.

Experiencia fantástica: Any trip to the island has to include a visit to the shell museum. First thoughts are that it will be small and cheesy...aka touristy. This couldn't be farther from the reality. This is a very nice well maintained and educational opportunity for all ages. Be prepared to spend some good quality time seeing and learning about all of the exhibits. They have a nice friendly staff and a small gift shop as well. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit and will return again.

Experiencia positiva: My favorite part of this museum was the photography display - some beautiful artwork. Everyone in my party walked out saying they were hoping to learn a little more - information is a little light. From an overall visual standpoint, I am used to the shell exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science which is more extensive & visually more captivating. This was nice but, I expected to see more on display & more larger examples. Prices seem to have gone up steeply over the years - now, $25 per adult (worth about $15 in my opinion)

Experiencia fantástica: What a great place to visit, so many shells, interactive displays, touch tanks, pacific octopus that was magnificent!!!

Experiencia fantástica: At first glance you think 30 minutes and done. How wrong I was! We were lucky to come right at the time for the marine biologist to talk about the Giant Pacufuc Octopus. We were able to see her feed it as well. This place is full of history of shells, how the have been used as tools, currency etc. Hands on with a variety of mollusks. Staff very knowledgeable. 3 plus hours of enjoyment and education. Plus they have some monster shells there. Enjoy