Island Living July 31,2008 B
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ISLAND REPORTER ISLAND LIVING JULY 31,2008 B First-time visitors to Bailey-Matthews museum will come away with a wealth JEFFLYSIAK of shell knowledge What's bigger than a six-foot scale model of the Earth? How about a 13-foot Giant Squid, which hovers above the Great Hall of Shells inside Sanibel's Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. By JEFF LYSIAK seem to be a bit elementary. However, to the that while most first-time visitors to the Sailor's Valentines. jiysiak@breezenews- average visitor to the islands, those three museum are not "avid shellers," many of One large display — "Calusa: The papers.com questions may be the most frequently asked them leave with more than just a keen new Original Shell People" — features a life- How many dif- inquiries to the staff of the Bailey-Matthews interest in shelling. sized diorama of a Native American father ferent types of Shell Museum. John and Frances McGilHcuddy of and son. The Calusa Indians used shells to shells are there in "A lot of people wonder where shells Naples, who are frequent visitors to create everyday items, including hammers, the world? come from," said Kathleen Hoover, public Sanibel, had never been to the Bailey- anvils and fishing gear. What's the best relations manager for the museum. 'They Matthews Shell Museum until a recent trip Another prominent feature located inside way to clean the don't think about how they got here... they to the island. the Great Hall — 'The Children's Learning shells T've collected just assume that they simply wash up on our "They have so many beautiful displays Lab" — offers several interactive displays, on the beach? beaches. But most of them are very sur- of shells here," said Frances McGilHcuddy. a live shell tank and games for youngsters to And what exact- prised to learn that there are animals living "It's just incredible, the variety of shells and engage in. The museum provides a "Can ly is a mollusk? inside shells." the designs they have." You Find It?" handout for kids to find eight For the average Hoover is one of the museum's five full- Inside the octagonal-shaped facility, the species of shells, which can be found at the Sanibelian or time employees who, along with a group of Great Hall of Shells features more than two museum. Those who find all eight win a Captivan, the about 90 volunteers, share their vast knowl- dozen exhibits, ranging from a shell classi- special souvenir. answers to those edge about shells with the 50,000 people fication wheel, shells as money, shells in three questions may who visit the landmark annually. She said architecture, shells in geography and See MUSEUM, page 2B WHAT'S INSIDE Calusa Nature Center & Island Faces Planetarium's End Of Summer Party Spring Fling & Juggling Workshop Captiva Memorial 2008 was 'out Library / 7B of this world9 Ford Lakeside Submitted by DRE WHITE The Calusa Nature Center and Country Bash Planetarium raised more than $54:000 at their annual Spring Fling Country music sensa- fundraiser, held recently at tion Sugarland will Verandah's River House. The sold- headline the "Sam out event featured astronaut Story Musgrave as the evening's guest Galloway Ford Lakeside speaker. Country Bash" at Lakes Proceeds from the evening bene- Park. / 8B fited the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, a private noi-tor-profit, environmental education center. The Sports Roundup community center — situated on 105 acres — features the Living Natural History Museum with live native animals; the Butterfly Aviary and Native Plant Nursery: the Audubon Aviary, which permanently houses TIM STAMM PHOTOGRAPHY Zanon signing solidifies injured birds of prey; nature trails; Posing with an autographed picture which reads, "May the heavens Everblades' blue line / 11B and the earth shine upon you always, Story Musgrave" are, from left, See FUNDRAISER, page 15B Ralph Williams, Musgrave and Jeanne Williams. JEFF i YSIAK This collection of Polymita bush snails from eastern Cuba was assembled by Actor Raymond Burr, who served as campaign chairman for the Foundation Or. Carlos de la Torre in 1930. Committee of the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, has a memorial garden named in his honor. Kathleen Hoover shows one of the museum's largest Fulgur Whelks, found off oi 30. "Calusa:The Original Shell People" features a Calusa Indian father and son, along with shells used in everyday life centuries ago. Joanne LaFteur, educational specialist at the museum, talks to a group of This display shows the process of making a Sailor's Valentine. children in the Great Hall of Shells. I IQ n 03 3 6 c a 53 o 30 Kathleen Hoover extracts a live shell found inside The Children's Learning One of the most beautiful displays describes the centuries-old history of Lab. Sailor's Valentines. 3 N h E3 CM •as Some live shell samples •a include a Tulip, left, and a Horse Conch. from page 1B Cape Coral resident Cyndy Anthony, a first-time visitor, brought her sons David, 13, and Daniel, 11, to the museum. •a "The children's activities they have here are nice," she © said. "Kids can touch and feel live shells... I even touched ft a few!" While a typical visit to the museum lasts about 90 min- utes, guests may linger as long as they want while roaming the Great Hall. In the center of the room is a six-foot globe, which tops a display of where you will find various species of shells throughout the world. "Flying" above the globe is a life-sized model — 13 feet long, to be exact — of a Giant Squid, one of the three remaining species of Cephalopods which have evolved from mollusks throughout their exis- tence. Another eye-catching display — 'The Scallop, Queen of Conchology" — features a cascade of colors of which you may find within the species. A series of reds, oranges, yellows and purples highlight just how ornamentally beau- tiful the scallop is. Jason and Avery Frere, visiting from Chicago, 111., were referred to the museum from friends who had been to Bailey-Matthews before. 'There's a lot of shells on display. There's so much to see," said Jason Frere. "There are a lot of things we've never seen before.'" Adjacent to the main floor exhibit room is the museum's store, which offers a wide variety of shell-related items including postcards, puzzles and posters, books and identi- fication guides. Upstairs from the museum, their Malacological Collection houses a collection of worldwide and local mol- lusks that encompasses more than 150,000 lots. According to Hoover, precise records of their holdings are managed through a database management system. While their sheli inventory is not open to the public, searches of the collec- tion may be performed online. "Probably the most popular question people ask me is 'When is the best time to go shelling?1" Hoover added. "And there are several answers. First, I tell them 60 minutes before and after low tide. Also, during a full moon or a new moon. And finally, during the winter months because of all the storm activity." The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, located a 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, is open daily from 10 a.m. lo 5 p.m. For more information, call 395-2233 or visit their Web site at www.shellmuseum.org. Museum patrons watch a movie about mollusks, which provides an abundance of interesting informa- tion abouahnut shells. ' AROUND THE ISLAND 00 On Stage Little Shop Of Horrors: March 12 through April 4 Deadly Swindle: Wednesday, Thursday OF SPECIAL NOTE Written by Alan Menken and Howard and Sunday. The Schoolhouse Theater Ashman Till Murder Do Us Part: Friday and 2200 Periwinkle Way Synopsis: In this charming, gleefully grue- Saturday. FRIENDS WHO CARE 1 Phone: 239-472-8930 some musical, Seymour, a poor florist's assis- Synopsis: The murder mysteries are play- www. theschoolhousetheater.com tant, allows his craving for fame and fortune ing on the Seminole Gulf Railway dinner During the past 20 years, FRIENDS to seduce him into playing nursemaid to a train, which departs Colonial Station, off WHO CARE, INC. has been assisting 2008-09 Performance Schedule man-eating plant from outer space. As the Colonial Boulevard and Metro Parkway. individuals in our community. Our organ- plant grows and grows, so does Seymour's Train departs 5:30 p.m. Sundays and 6:30 ization has assisted many SanibeJ Island Steppin' Out: Oct 16 through Nov. 8 affection for his co-worker, Audrey. p.m. other days residents in crisis-related situations. Our Synopsis: An Irving Berlin musical revue. Will Seymour and Audrey get to spend group does not simply deal with children their future "somewhere that's green" or will Ticket information: Cost is $59.00 +tax for in our community, but has included many Play On!: Nov. 13 through Dec. 6 the plant's plans of world domination come to five-course dinner and show Wednesday- adults in crisis situations. Written by Rick Abbot fruition? Friday and Sunday and $69.00 +tax on FRIENDS WHO CARE, INC. works Synopsis: The hilarious story of a com- Saturday. Call 239-275-6060 or visit on an anonymous basis through informa- munity theater group trying desperately to put Murder At The Howard Johnson's: www.semgulf.com tion from the Police Department, church- on a play in spite of maddening interference April 9 through May 2 es, schools and other caring individuals in from a haughty author who keeps revising the Written by Sam Bobrick and Ron Clark Nature Activities the community. The holiday season has script up to the day of the performance.