American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

Jumbo: The World-Famous Elephant (Exhibition)
birth: 1993 January 22
death: 1993 October 31
Exhibition. Opened January 22, 1993 and closed October 31, 1993. Located in Section 12, Floor 1 in the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall of the New York State Roosevelt Memorial at the American Museum of Natural History. Jumbo: The World-Famous Elephant, featuring the skeleton of the eponymous elephant, opened in conjunction with the 200th anniversary of the circus in America, and focused attention on the contemporary threats to the survival of the wild African elephant.
Summary
Jumbo: The World-Famous Elephant, featuring the skeleton of the eponymous elephant, opened in conjunction with the 200th anniversary of the circus in America, and focused attention on the contemporary threats to the survival of the wild African elephant (1). The curator-in-charge was Guy Musser of the Museum's Department of Mammalogy. Senior instructor in Education at the Museum, Lisa Breslof served as project director, Craig Vitamanti did research for the exhibit, preparators Victoria Stilwell and Andrea Raphael-Reese of the Museum's Department of Exhibition designed the exhibition, and senior technician in the Department of Mammalogy, Helmut Sommer, oversaw the installation and maintenance of the skeleton mount (AR, p. 35; GV). The exhibition featured a video about conservation issues of African elephants produced by secretary to the vice president for Public Programs Geralyn Abinader and edited by Chris Toy from the Audio/Visual Department (1). The exhibition also featured historical memorabilia documenting Jumbo's career (2, p. 69).
Festivities for the exhibition included an opening celebration that featured clowns from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and elephants from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus on parade outside the Museum (1; 2, p. 69). Related programs sponsored by the Museum's Department of Education included a film festival, a lecture, and a puppet theater performance (3).
This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.