Posted by The Snail and Shell Museum in Piran is a truly special sight. On display are over 4,000 shells of mussels and snails in all sizes and colours. Many of the objects come from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Slovenia. Other shells and snails are from different regions of the world, including very impressive tropical specimens.
Book day trips in Slovenia onlineYou can book many great day trips within Slovenia by bus online. Many of these tickets are available on the well-knownwebsite Getyourguide.de. – Bus tours to the Postojna Caves: Click here – Tours to and from Lake Bled: Click here – Tours and bus trips Ljubljana: Click here |
The Shell and Snail Museum was the idea of a young biologist Jan Simič. His private collection is the largest part of the Musuem in Piran, which was founded in 2011.
Location of the Shell Museum
If you are in Piran, you will find the museum very easily. It is only 10 metres from the central Tartini Square, right on the road along the sea in the direction of Portoroz. The entrance is somewhat hidden in a side street. But it is well signposted, so you can hardly miss it. The great Piran Maritime Museum is also just a few metres away.
Book day trips in Slovenia onlineYou can book many great day trips within Slovenia by bus online. Many of these tickets are available on the well-knownwebsite Getyourguide.de. – Bus tours to the Postojna Caves: Click here – Tours to and from Lake Bled: Click here – Tours and bus trips Ljubljana: Click here |
Site plan
The museum is called “svet-školjk” (World of Shells) in Slovenian, “The Piran Shell and Snail Museum” or “World of Shells” in English.
Tours Coast Slovenia: Various day trips by bus to and from Piran, Portoroz and the short coast of Slovenia can be booked online at Getyourguide.co.uk.
Opening hours World of Snails and Shells Piran
In summer the exhibition is open every day from 10 am to 8 pm (beginning of June until end of September).
In spring and autumn, as in many museums in Slovenia and other countries, Monday is a day of rest. Otherwise, the museum’s opening hours are from 11 am to 6 pm.
In 3 months in winter (December, January and February), the Shell Museum is open only on weekends and public holidays from 11 am to 6 pm.
These details are from October 2019.
Entrance fee Shell and Snail Museum Piran
Admission is €4 for adults (as of 2019). Children, students and other groups receive a discount. It is a private museum built with a lot of love for shells and snails. To our knowledge, the shell museum receives no public funding. The entrance fee and donations are the museum’s only major income.
Description of the Museum of Shells and Snails
At the entrance you get a small folder with a lot of information in the language you want (also German). There is a number on the particularly interesting exhibits. You can read the information about the respective shell or snail in the folder.
For many visitors, the highlights of the Biology Museum are the very large shells and snails. The largest mussel in the exhibition weighs about 330 kilograms. A shell of the largest snail species in the world can also be admired. The colourful shells in all imaginable colours are worth seeing. Jan Simic has bought many interesting, often tropical, shells on the internet. Not all the snails are from the sea, there are also land snails on display. You can also see starfish, sea urchins, crabs and other animals from the sea in the exhibition.
A great idea is the possibility to look at very small snails and mussels under the microscope. A special device makes this very easy and also possible for children without any problems.
Our impression of the Snail and Shell Museum on the coast of Slovenia is very positive. Even for children, a visit to the exhibition is interesting and educational. The founder of the museum Jan Simic is very nice and happy to answer any question about shells and snails. He is also happy to help with other topics about Piran and Slovenia. Guided tours of the shell museum are offered.