Shelling is a hugely popular pastime along the barrier islands of the southern Gulf coast, and the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum (3075 Sanibel-Captiva Rd., 239/395-2223, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, $7 adults, $4 children, children 4 and under free) goes a long way to putting a serious tilt on an activity many folks undertake as a way to pass the time on a leisurely holiday.
The large modern building on the outskirts of the town of Sanibel [1] has more than two dozen displays of shells as well as informative mini-exhibits on their various uses throughout history.
It may seem somewhat odd to devote so much attention to these temporary marine-life homes, but as the museum makes clear, both the bioscience and anthropological implications of shells go far beyond the plastic bag full of beach memories you brought home from your last vacation.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/florida/south-gulf-coast/sanibel-and-captiva-islands