The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium is pleased to announce its annual benefit gala will be held Saturday, February 8, 2025. The fundraising event, titled Still the One, celebrates the Museum’s 30th anniversary as the one and only accredited museum in the U.S. solely devoted to shells, mollusks, and their ecosystems.
Attendees will enjoy an evening of camaraderie at The Community House on Sanibel, live music by The Rockefellers, a retrospective film of the Museum’s first 30 years, and a delicious dinner catered by Savour First Choice Catering. The evening also raises funds for the Museum’s future with an exciting auction of original items and experiences and a Paddles Up.
The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company will again be Presenting Sponsor.
“The Trust Company has been an ardent supporter of the Museum since the earliest days of our firm,” said Al Hanser, Founder and Chairman of the Sanibel Captiva Trust Company. “It’s a special place, critical for our community. As the Museum brings in new and exciting exhibits, marine life, and attractions, we welcome what’s in store as it continues to share critical knowledge of our ecosystem and a truly unique experience to island visitors.”
“The Museum team is doing an extraordinary job of restoring the campus and exhibits,” said Jeff Muddell, Sanibel Captiva Trust Company’s Sanibel President. “We’re proud of our community for supporting this organization and the thousands of visitors they serve every year.”
The Museum reopened its ground floor Living Gallery of Aquariums in March of 2024 featuring improved permanent exhibits. New marine life species are continually being added, including a Giant Pacific Octopus, Caribbean Two Spot Octopus, Flamingo Tongue, Strawberry Conchs, and Disco Clams. The Great Hall of Shells has also been redesigned to exhibit a greater quantity and diversity of shells. When installation is complete in early 2025, the new exhibits will feature more than double the number of shell specimens previously on view.
“The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company is a generous, major supporter of the Museum and has been for more than 20 years,” said Sam Ankerson, National Shell Museum Executive Director. “We are grateful for all the company’s work and philanthropy on behalf of non-profits and communities throughout Southwest Florida.”
Visit ShellMuseum.org/gala to learn more and purchase tickets for the Still the One gala.
PHOTO CAPTION (left to right): Stephanie Muddell, Director of Marketing and Development, Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium; Sam Ankerson, Executive Director, Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium; Al Hanser, Founder and Chairman of the Sanibel Captiva Trust Company; Jeff Muddell, Sanibel Captiva Trust Company’s Sanibel President.
The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company is an independent trust company with more than $3.5 billion in assets under management that provides family office and wealth management services, including investment management, trust administration and financial counsel to high-net-worth individuals, families, businesses, foundations and endowments. Founded in 2001 as a state-chartered independent trust company, the firm is focused on wealth management services that are absolute-return oriented and performance driven. Each portfolio is separately managed and customized specifically to the client’s yield and cash-flow requirements. The Naples Trust Company and The Tampa Bay Trust Company are divisions of The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company. Offices in Sanibel-Captiva, Naples, Marco Island, Tampa, Belleair Bluffs-Clearwater and Tarpon Springs. www.sancaptrustco.com
About the Museum: The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium is a natural history museum and aquarium, and the only museum in the United States devoted primarily to shells and mollusks. Its mission is to use exceptional collections, aquariums, programs, experiences, and science to be the nation’s leading museum in the conservation, preservation, interpretation, and celebration of shells, the mollusks that create them, and their ecosystems. For more information, please visit ShellMuseum.org or call (239) 395-2233.
