The Smithsonian Hornaday Bison

The Smithsonian Hornaday Bison

Can a diorama change history? This one did.

In 1886, Smithsonian taxidermist William T. Hornaday traveled to Montana at a time when the American bison had been hunted nearly to extinction. Six of the animals he collected became a landmark Smithsonian exhibit—one that helped draw national attention to the disappearance of the bison and the growing need for wildlife conservation.

An American Icon Comes Home

The Hornaday Bison were displayed at the Smithsonian for nearly 70 years. The great bull at the center of the group became especially famous, with his likeness appearing on national symbols and government issues.

After the exhibit was dismantled, the six mounts eventually returned to Montana. They were later reunited and restored, and today the original group can be seen together in Fort Benton, arranged much as it appeared at the Smithsonian.

See Them for Yourself

The Smithsonian Hornaday Bison are displayed in the Hornaday Smithsonian Buffalo and Dean & Donna Strand Western Art Gallery at the Museum of the Northern Great Plains complex.

The gallery also features a collection of Western art by 19th-century and contemporary artists.

Hear the Story from the Smithsonian

In 2026, Smithsonian Sidedoor revisited the remarkable story of the Hornaday Bison—including how the original group found its way back together in Fort Benton.

The Smithsonian is also celebrating the American bison—our National Mammal—as part of its programming commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.