The summer is over, but it’s not too late to enjoy and explore the treasures of the seashore. On Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19 and 20, the Philadelphia Shell Show and Festival washes ashore at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. The festival features touchable live sea creatures, games and shows for kids, an international shell market, and beautiful scientific and artistic displays. The festival is free with regular museum admission.

The Philadelphia Shell Show, now in its 31st year, is the largest show of its kind in the Northeast. The event, presented with the Philadelphia Shell Club, draws serious collectors who compete for prizes for their displays, as well as amateur beachcombers who like to show off their collections on the living room mantelpiece.

The festival is fun and educational for both adults and children and takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Here are some of the activities:

• Learn about ocean ecology and the specific characteristics of sea urchins, starfish, sea snails, crabs, and fishes during the “Under the Sea” show.
• Discover the differences between a clam and a squid by dissecting them, with the help of an Academy educator.
• Make a craft by turning our shells into your own beautiful jewelry to take home.
• Shop at an international market of shell jewelry, exotic shells, artwork, books, and more.
• Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Academy’s world-renowned research collection of about 10 million shells, the world’s third largest shell collection.
• Kids get free shells to take home!

For more information, visit ansp.org.