Special Exhibitions
These special exhibitions are currently on view.
All That Glitters Is Not Gold: Amazing Abalone Shells
Shells of the Abalone group of marine gastropods represent a diversity of color, pattern, and visual impact that is matched by very few others. Many abalones have an otherworldly, iridescent quality that is prized as a source for jewelry, decorative objects, and mother-of-pearl.
This exhibition of 60 Abalone shells from the Museum’s collection showcases wide-ranging varieties from around the globe, focusing on their unique beauty, factors that make the shells appear the way they do, classification, fisheries, and conservation status.
All that Glitters is organized by Science Director and Curator Dr. José H. Leal and is the first of a new series at the Museum of frequently rotating, focused exhibitions of shells. Future subjects may include groups or families of shells, geographic location, rarities, exceptional private collections, and more.
This exhibition is made possible by a grant from the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation.
Brilliant Colors of the Sea: Nudibranchs and Their Relatives
Nudibranchs are marine gastropod mollusks that lack a shell in their adult form and are celebrated for their color patterns. They live worldwide in temperate and tropical regions, but the most colorful and eye-catching species are associated with warm waters and coral reefs. There are about 3,000 known species of nudibranchs.
Brilliant Colors of the Sea features 21 underwater photographs taken by Scott Johnson and Gabriel Jensen, in the South Pacific and South Florida. The exhibition explores the relationship between color and defense mechanisms for nudibranchs, their conservation status, and other subjects.
Scott has spent nearly 40 years in the Marshall Islands and began photographing underwater at the age of 15. His work has been acclaimed for decades. Gabriel’s award-winning images of underwater microfauna in Florida have been featured by NOAA, Smithsonian Magazine, and National Geographic Wild, among others.
Brilliant Colors of the Sea is organized by Science Director and Curator Dr. José H. Leal. It is made possible by a gift from the McQueen Family and a grant from the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation.
Adorned by the Sea: Shells in Fashion
Throughout time and around the world, shells have been used to elevate and adorn. From ancient cultures to contemporary runway couture, using shells as decorative motifs, carving them into ornamental shapes, and even attaching them in their natural form has transformed ordinary textiles into extraordinary garments. Shells have been used to represent value, nature, and even faith. Adorned by the Sea: Shells in Fashion examines the diverse uses of seashells and mollusks to enhance our appearance and dress.
From the most expensive purple dyes made with snails to the most conceptual catwalk fantasies made of razor clams and mussels, with works spanning centuries and including a wide variety of designers from unnamed indigenous artists to Christian Dior, Alexander McQueen, and Gucci, Adorned by the Sea offers a complete overview of how we have amplified our own image by borrowing from the wonders of marine life.
This exhibition is made possible by a grant from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation and a gift from Kathy and Mark Helge.