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| Shell Museum To Celebrate 10-Year Anniversary With Open House | |
' "Good morning and welcome to the official opening of The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum." Those were the words that at one time or another over the preceding nine years some of us on the board thought might never be spoken. But on this sunny, warm November 18, 1995, here was board president Harold Tovell welcoming some 300 guests attending the Grand Opening ceremonies in the parking area's circle.' |
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| -From "An Informal History of The Bailey-Matthews Shell
Museum" By William F. Hallstead |
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Flash forward ten years since the penning of those words by author and former Museum board president Bill Hallstead: On Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005, The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum on Sanibel Island will celebrate the start of its second decade with a free open house for the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Museum director Dr. José H. Leal is pleased to announce that the guest of honor at the open house will be University of California-Davis distinguished professor of geology Dr. Geerat J. Vermeij. A 1992 MacArthur "Genius" Award recipient, Dr. Vermeij specializes in marine ecology and paleoecology, and the functional morphology of marine mollusks.  UC-Davis News Services explains that Dr. Vermeij, "blind since the age of three, uses his sense of touch to study the shape and surface features of shells. That work has lead him to insights into evolution, ecology, biology and, most recently, economics. In 2004, he was named a faculty research lecturer, the highest honor bestowed by UC-Davis faculty members on their peers and recognizes exceptional contributions to research."Dr. Vermeij will be accompanied by his wife, Edith Zipser Vermeij, who is his research collaborator. He will give a talk during the afternoon of the open house and then be available to sign Museum store copies of his book, A Natural History of Shells. Dr. Vermeij appeared on National Public Radio's Morning Edition on May 25, 2005, to explain his new theory that biological observations from his fossil studies can apply to human endeavors as well. No admission will be charged for the daytime open house, which will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to use The Sanibel School parking lot as a trolley shuttle pick-up and drop-off point. Adventures in Paradise Inc. has generously agreed to donate its trolley shuttle service. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is located at 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road on Sanibel Island. For further information about the Oct. 25 meeting, call the museum at 239-395-2233 or 888-679-6450. |
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