Bison: Standing Strong

Explore the remarkable story of bison. These iconic animals shaped North American landscapes for more than 100,000 years and anchored Indigenous lifeways for generations. Pushed to the brink of extinction in the 19th century, bison survived thanks to dedicated conservation efforts. Today, they stand strong as an enduring symbol of survival and resilience.

The Bison: Standing Strong exhibit invites you into this incredible journey. Explore a full-sized bull bison specimen, the six-foot-wide skull of an ancient bison ancestor, an immersive soundscape, multimedia, cutting-edge scientific research, and Native objects and stories shared in collaboration with community members. Experience the deep history of America’s national mammal and discover the hopeful future being built for generations to come.

The museum’s bison exhibitions and programming received support from Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250, a Smithsonian-wide initiative commemorating the nation’s 250th. Signature support for Our Shared Future: 250 has been provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. Additional contributions have been made by Target.