The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium on Sanibel has announced its free fall lecture series, which will be offered live on Zoom. Here are the dates and topics…
Thursday, August 22, 2024, 5:30pm
“Ecological and Historical Studies on Land Snails: Tiger Snails and Glacial History” by Dr. Timothy Pearce, Assistant Curator, Mollusks, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Dr. Timothy Pearce shares two case studies of recent discoveries about land snail populations in the northeast, and the influence on them of both ancient geological forces and modern environmental threats.
Thursday, September 19, 2024, 5:30pm
“Towards a New Great Hall of Shells” by Dr. José H. Leal, Ph.D., Science Director and Curator, and Sam Ankerson, Executive Director, Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium
In fall 2024 the Museum’s permanent exhibits of shells will reopen following more than two years of reimagination, planning, and design. Dr. Leal and Sam Ankerson offer a preview of the new exhibits, their educational outcomes, and new design.
Thursday, October 17, 2024, 5:30pm
“Carrier Shells: Nature’s Original Shell Collector” by Gary Kidder, Collections Manager for Malacology and Inventory, Houston Museum of Natural Science
Collecting shells may seem like a strictly human endeavor but one group of gastropods has been doing this for almost 100 million years. Gary Kidder will discuss the general characteristics of carrier shells, their method of attachment, and the possible reasons for this unique behavior.
“The Museum is proud to present this series which features great speakers and experts from some of the top natural history museums in the country, and new insights into the wonders of shells and the animals that make them,” said Sam Ankerson, National Shell Museum & Aquarium Executive Director.
To register for the fall lecture series and to watch recordings of previous lectures, please visit ShellMuseum.org/online-lectures.