This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
OSTEOR- D nary


By Elaine Warner M


ake no bones about it—the Oklahoma Mu- seum of Osteology is one cool museum. From a science fair project gone viral to currently TripAdvisor’s number-one Oklahoma City attraction, the museum rocks.


The brain behind the bones is Jay Villemarette. As a little boy, he found a dog skull and brought it home. Encouraged by his dad, he collected more skulls until, by sixth grade, he had quite an assortment. He entered the collection in his school science fair and received a “superior” commendation. The next year he won a fi fth place ribbon at the Oklahoma State Fair. Jay never lost his interest in his hobby even though he had another career after high school. In his spare time, he cleaned and sold skulls. The demand grew and his spare time became sparer. Then, in 1986, he and his wife Kim started their business, Skulls Un- limited.


With a reputation for meticulous and professional work, his specimens were in demand by schools and museums all over the country. Skulls Unlimited gained national attention in 2006 when it was fea- tured on the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe.”


Buoyed by his success, Oklahoma Electric Co-op members Jay and Kim began planning for Jay’s life- long dream—a museum where he could share his love of nature and science. The museum opened last year and, in the fi rst seven months, has hosted more than 10,000 visitors. Including Pat Hoig of Edmond, who visited the museum with her grandson. “It’s amazing to have something this great here, and so few people know about it. I rave about it to everyone,” Hoig said.


In the museum’s foyer, visitors can view some of


nature’s little garbage disposals at work. Dermestid beetles, both in the larval and adult stages, are used to clean skulls and other bones at Skulls Unlimited. Two whale skulls fl ank the doors to the museum proper. It’s impossible to miss the huge humpback whale, which hangs from the ceiling. Alongside the humpback are three smaller skeletons. One is a mana- tee; another is a beluga whale. The third specimen is a killer whale who died of what is termed “hardware disease”—ingesting junk that visitors threw into her pool at a water park.


Oklahoma Museum of Osteology is the fi rst in the nation


Inside, cases line the walls on both the fi rst and sec-


ond fl oors. The quality and presentation of exhibits rival any large institution so it came as a surprise to fi nd it was designed and executed by Jay and an associ- ate, Joey Williams


With giant skeletons mounted in the middle of the


fl oor and hanging from the ceiling, the fi rst impres- sion is overwhelming. However, everything is arranged logically and, beginning with the fi rst case on the north side of the room, the visitor quickly becomes immersed in the experience.


A tour is like a crash course in zool- ogy beginning with “what is a skeleton?” Examples show vertebrates and inverte- brates and exo- and endoskeletons. Who knew a turtle’s shell is a modi-


fi ed rib cage?


And who knew that bones had so many components? A replica, enlarged many times, illustrates the many fea- tures of bones from the hard, outer layer—the periosteum—to the marrow in the middle.


Comparative anatomy is addressed by


defi ning basic skeletal design. Common animal features include a skull, four limbs, spinal column, torso and pelvis. How these features differ from species to species is illustrated in a display on adaptation. For instance, a mole and a penguin have the same basic structures, but their skeletons have become special- ized to serve their individual needs. Different kinds of bones are required


for fl ying, swimming, climbing, digging, running or jumping. When specialized bones develop similarly in very dis- similar species, it is called “convergent evolution.” Thus, there are striking re- semblances between dolphin, penguin and turtle fl ippers even though one is a mammal, another a bird and the third a reptile.


The exhibits contain a lot of factual material but can be enjoyed on any level.


You’ll fi nd tidbits of nature lore as informative as the scientifi c explanations. One of these observations on skull structure quoted, “Eyes in the front, the animal hunts; on the side, the animal hides.” Visitors fi nd a bit of sly humor in the primate exhib- it. At the back of the case, one hand against the wall and legs crossed stands a skeleton of homo sapiens Continued on page 39


Oklahoma Electric Co-op members Jay and Kim Villemarette have recently opened the Oklahoma Museum of Osteology in Oklahoma City. Photos by Elaine Warner


JULY 2011 37


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88