It’s not often that a museum is nearly wiped out. But that’s what happened to the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum with the landfall of Hurricane Ian on Sanibel Island. The months since have been a powerful blend of loss, emergency response, rallying, rebuilding, and envisioning a renewed future for the museum.

Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum Executive Director Sam Ankerson will share this journey and the state of the museum, reflect on what makes natural history museums important and this museum’s place within that context, and offer a view of the future following rebuilding.

Ankerson’s talk will be at the Cape Coral Museum of History on Tuesday Feb. 13, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

In the next museum program, cozy mystery author Carol Freeman will offer a presentation and book signing for “Cape Coral Pickleball Murders” the sixth installment in her Cape Coral murder mystery series on Tuesday Feb. 20 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

In pickleball, standing in the kitchen is undeniably a fault. But in “The Cape Coral Pickleball Murders”, standing in the kitchen is undeniably – DEADLY! Why are pickleball players being targeted? Who will be next? Ellen and Charlie Green, seventy-something amateur sleuths, are reckless and resourceful as they delve into this murder investigation. As always, the Bird-Watchers secretly watch over them. The theatrical climax has a surprising twist.

Carol Freeman’s six-book Cape Coral Series takes the reader throughout the Cape Coral, and Fort Myers area on the madcap adventures of Ellen and Charlie Green, 70-something amateur sleuths. As they become embroiled in murder investigations, their reckless and unconventional methods often put them in harm’s way. But no worries! The Bird-Watchers, their dear friends, secretly come to their rescue.

All six books in the series will be available for purchase and signing.

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The Cape Coral Museum of History is at 544 Cultural Park Blvd. in Cape Coral.