It’s like a trip to the zoo, but instead of seeing them in the flesh, all of them are in the bones, preserved and mounted. From domestic dogs, cats, cows & horses to wild monkeys, hornbills, snakes & crocodiles, to sea creatures like turtles, fish, dolphins & whales, the D’ Bone Collector Museum features a collection of more than 200 skeletons. These animals are showcased in different themed environments like plains, tropical forests, shallow seas and coral reefs. The bones mostly came from the collections of Darrell Blatchley, an American who has a Filipino heart, who had been collecting them since he was young. Some were donated.
What’s interesting are the stories behind each skeleton, like a racing horse that was dug up from its grave, many animals that died due to diseases, or several dolphins and whales that got beached and died. “Deaf ears” a pygmy killer whale was found with ruptured eardrums, most likely due to dynamite fishing. “Sad” a spotted dolphin got stranded with its calf “Happy”. “Sad” died of dehydration and starvation, but “Happy” survived and was later fetched by his pod of dolphins. Many of the dolphins and whales were found with plastic bottles and caps in their gut.
Aside from preserving the dead specimens, the museum actively engages in conservation through education and rescue of animals. They plan to conduct workshops and also engage with government agencies like BFAR and the National Museum. It’s actually not just a fancy collection; it helps raise awareness for environmental protection.
When in Davao, don’t miss to visit the museum:
Operating Hours: Mon – Fri, 10AM to 5PM
Admission Fee: PHP 50
Contact Nos. : 09214808920 / 09196240744
Websites: https://www.facebook.com/pages/D-Bone-Collector-Museum-Inc/
Address: San Pedro St. Davao City
adventures ni kulot 
Reblogged this on memoirs of a research assistant and commented:
When in Davao, Philippines, try to visit this Museum. We should conserve and help in protecting these species. Thumbs up for Diuvs (my colleague) for writing this!
I have heard about this place but never went! seems to scary for me! and my baby daughter would probably cry! lolz but now i’m interested! Thank you for sharing Davao City! And Awesome Photos by the way!
thanks!
Reblogged this on Seeking Digital and commented:
A awesome traveller talks about the mysterious bone museum in Davao City!
That’s what I wanted to visit in Davao, but we missed it due to lack of time 😦
you can always go back! 😉