Bison are the largest land mammals in the United States, and these huge animals once roamed the Great Plains and North America in large herds.
They shaped the landscape for more than 100,000 years and were critical to the survival of Indigenous Plains Indians. However, bison were almost driven to extinction in the 19th century.
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But conservation efforts driven by Indigenous groups have seen their population steadily increase. In 2016, the bison was declared the official mammal of the United States.
Now, three towering bronze bison sculptures welcome visitors at the National Mall entrance of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, in Washington D.C., USA.
Created by Gary Staab, the bull, cow and calf figures are modelled on taxidermy specimens of bison that were on display in the museum between 1888–1957. And real-life bison once greeted visitors at the lawn of the Smithsonian Institution Building.
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The statues will have a permanent home at the museum’s entrance and celebrate its exhibition Bison: Standing Strong.
The exhibition and statues are part of wider celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The document, which was approved on 4th July 1776, announced the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain.
An exhibition containing rare and previously unexhibited items, titled From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage, will open at the Smithsonian on Thursday 18th June 2026 through to December 2029.
Over 600 specimens and cultural objects from across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 5 US territories will form the display, which will span 5,000 square feet.
This draws from the museum’s collection of more than 148 million objects.
Together, the items will explore America’s cultural and natural history, with objects including a blue Californian gemstone that’s rarer than gold, and a northern bobwhite (a type of bird) collected by a young Theodore Roosevelt in New York.
It will also highlight more recent stories of environmental restoration and recovery, including bison and the reintroduction of sea otters on the Oregon coast.
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The relationship between people and place will be emphasised in the exhibition, highlighting the fishing practices of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and African American oyster harvesting communities at Chesapeake Bay, as well as the artistry of traditional Samoan bark cloth.
“When you look at the natural history of the United States, you’re seeing a story that stretches back hundreds of millions of years,” explains Stewart Edie, co-curator of the exhibition and curator in the museum’s Department of Palaeobiology.
“The fossils and specimens in this exhibition show how life and landscapes have changed through deep time, from the ancient seas that once covered much of the country to the ecosystems we know today.”
Top image: a crane is used to transfer statues created by sculptor Gary Staab to their permanent home at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum on 19th March 2026 in Washington, D.C. Credit: Alex Kent/The Washington Post via Getty Images
