About The Bone Room

What is the Bone Room?

The Bone Room is a store in Berkeley specializing in natural history items. We're the place to come to for real bones, genuine fossils, quality bone and fossil replicas, exotic insects, and all manner of weird and wonderful things. Visiting us is like a trip to a mini-museum. We are a source for teachers, artists, illustrators, collectors and imaginative gift buyers; it's "the best store on earth," according to an ardent twelve-year-old customer.

Our History

The Bone Room was created in 1987 by Ron Cauble, who simply wanted an excuse to learn more about Natural History. It started out as a small room in Cauble's previous business, The East Bay Vivarium, a reptile emporium still located in Berkeley, California. Sixteen years, and three moves later, our merchandise has expanded from just bones to include insects, fossils, shells, fossil and bone casts, and those ever-popular animal remnants. In fact, most anything relating to natural history can be found at the The Bone Room!

Ron's credentials include a Ph.D. in chemistry and subsequent work on the development of rocket fuel and 23 years in the study of herpetology. In his never-quite ceasing appetite for knowledge, he has since left all this behind to continue on his path of peculiar careers. Establishing The Bone Room has provided both himself and his customers with a forum for the appreciation of natural history objects.

Though Ron could claim to be a professional in at least one field, he proudly affirms his amateur status with bones, insects and fossils. He asserts that 'amateur' is a dignified and important title. He likes to remind us that it means 'lover', and that the world needs more amateurs...and more lovers. He believes that life, education, and scholarship are but an empty shell without passion. Especially welcome in The Bone Room are people who enjoy and practice that most valued of human characteristic - curiosity.

The Bone Room is a place where you can explore areas of the natural world usually hidden in the back rooms and file cabinets of museums. It is a place to contemplate items that embody the intricacy, beauty and real wonder of nature. Ron calls it his non-virtual reality store.

Our Store

Our current retail location is on Berkeley's lively Solano Ave, within easy driving distance of San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. We are open Tuesday thru Saturday, from 11 AM to 6 PM, with extended hours during the holidays. We are closed on Mondays.

In addition to our store, The Bone Room offers its wide selection of natural history items to customers around the world. Call us at 510-526-5252 to learn about having Bone Room products shipped to your door.

Our Products

Learn About Our Products. For more specific information, see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Our People

Meet the Denizens of The Bone Room, past and present.

General Contact Information

Address:

The Bone Room

1569 Solano Ave.

Berkeley, CA 94707

USA

Phone:(510)526-5252

E-Mail: evolve@boneroom.com