239-472-4648
After a successful two-month season, the Sanibel Historical Museum & Village will be closing beginning June 1 so repairs can be made to its nine historical buildings.
“We were very grateful to be able to open in April and May to serve the community,” said Board President Celina Kersh. “While traffic was slow, we were able to share Sanibel’s history with the people who came, and they enjoyed the experience.”
The Historical Museum & Village’s mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate Sanibel’s history. “There is a lot of history to preserve after Hurricane Ian devastated the island,” said Kersh. “All of the buildings in the Village sustained damage, some worse than others. We are going to use this time after June 1 to work with the City to complete repairs to our buildings in a historically accurate manner.”
The City of Sanibel owns the Historical Museum & Village and is working with the 501c3 that manages and operates the Village to effect repairs through the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust. Mayor Richard Johnson said every effort will be made to have most, if not all, repairs complete by the time the Village is set to re-open in the fall.
“We have a full season planned beginning in October,” said Kersh. “We’re excited to be offering a number of programs as well as a gala, which will be on February 20. Two Twilight Talks are planned, one on March 19 on the history of hurricanes on the islands, and a second on April 16 about the history of fishing on the islands.
The Historical Village will be in need of volunteers more than ever as it prepares to open and welcome guests once again. There are a variety of volunteer positions available with duties to suit everyone. To volunteer, contact Executive Director Mark Harmon at (239) 472-4648 or via email at info@sanibelmuseum.org.