Several kinds of jellyfish, even a small skate, lay spread on the wet sand. Up-beach, driftwood appliqued with white rock barnacles had been pushed into heaps by the tide. I executed a Sanibel Stoop and held aloft a scrap suitable for a paperweight. The shell-collecting virus infects everyone who lives here, but until recently, true expertise was focused only in an unhoused research foundation and the shells scattered about in private closets and storerooms. Captiva architect George Tuttle Jr. Inside are shells from every corner of the globe including some millions of years old.
Children can and do bring their finds for quick positive identification.
Even I, who entered not knowing an egg cockle from a dosinia, came out savvy of tooth shells and lightning whelks. Incidentally, the rare jujonia is a 4-5 inch long volute and as spotted as a leopard. Although the museum has more than two million shells including samples of one-third of the world's 100,000 known species, more are constantly being acquired. Extra duplicate shells brought in by Sanibelians help fulfill the museum's educational mandate and are packaged up with information, study plans and collection kits for shipment to schools all over the country. In addition to the 10,000 square foot exhibit hall, a multi-purpose auditorium and gift shop occupies the main floor.