A grandfather and granddaughter on a Norfolk beach looking at a scallop shell, with his phone ready to take a photo

Norfolk Shell Finder

Found a shell on the beach and wondering what it is? You’re in the right place.

🌊 A gentle reminder: if a shell is closed tight or has a creature inside, it’s still alive. Please pop it back where you found it.

What shell have I found?

Step 1. What shape is your shell?

Step 2. Find the one that looks like yours and tap it to see how to spot it, where to look and a fun fact.

Still not sure?

Take a photo and ask your own AI app, such as ChatGPT or Claude. We’ll show you exactly what to type.

Ask your AI with a photo

Your phone’s AI app can look at a photo and tell you what it is. It’s free to use and only takes a minute.

Take a clear photo of your shell. Put it on your hand or next to a coin so the AI can tell how big it is. A photo of each side helps too.
Open your AI app, such as ChatGPT or Claude.
Tap the + or the paperclip next to the message box and choose your photo.
Copy the words below into the message box and press send.

I’m on a beach in Norfolk, England, and I’ve found this shell. Please tell me what it is in plain English and how sure you are. If you’re not certain, tell me what else it could be and what I should look for to tell them apart. Finish with one interesting fact about it.

Good to know

AI is very good at common shells, but a worn or broken shell can fool it. If the answer doesn’t look right, come back and compare it with our pictures.

Shell Spotter quiz

Eight quick questions. Look carefully at the pictures and see how many shells you can spot!

Grown-ups, you can read the questions out loud.

Question 1 of 8Score: 0