African Bush Elephant

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Meet Henry

Our 11-ton African elephant has graced the Museum’s Rotunda since 1959. Sometimes called the Fénykövi elephant, after the Hungarian game hunter who donated the hide, it’s more often called by its affectionate nickname: Henry.

In 2015 Henry was carefully cleaned and patched with special hand-colored beeswax, and his platform was redesigned. The new platform includes an information desk and new info on African elephant ecology, the threat of poaching, and their place in geologic time. The new platform reveals the previously hidden, inlaid compass in the Rotunda floor.

The historic 11-ton, 13-foot-tall elephant has been on display since 1959.

A cutout image of Henry the taxidermy elephant.

Did you know?

The tusks are fiberglass casts, installed in 1988 to replace earlier celluloid casts.

Look For

An elephant diorama in the Museum's African Bush Elephant display. — A miniature diorama showing African bush elephants at a watering hole with other species from the same savannah ecosystem

An image of the elephant family tree featured in the African Bush Elephant at the Museum. — An elephant family tree that highlights when elephant ancestors and relatives first crossed paths with early humans

Three pieces of carved illegal ivory. — Illegal ivory pieces confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the worldwide effort to stop poaching

Things to Do

Feel "elephant voices" - the low-frequency vibrations that elephants use to communicate over distances as long as 10 miles
Watch footage of African bush elephants in action
Learn why elephants are called "ecosystem engineers"

Experience More

First Floor | Exhibit

African Voices