Jumbo: The World-Famous Elephant (Exhibition)

Exist Dates

1993 January 22 - 1993 October 31

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract

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.

Sources

(1) American Museum of Natural History. "JUMBOMANIA Sweeps the Museum." Grapevine (January-February 1993).

(2) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1992-1993.

(3) American Museum of Natural History. "Jumbo: The World-Famous Elephant." 1993. Special Collections Vertical Files. American Museum of Natural History Library. [flyer]

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Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

Abinader, Geralyn
Produced video in exhibition; secretary to the vice-president of Public Programs at the Museum (1)

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Education.
Sponsored related programs (3)

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Mammalogy.
Related department

Breslof, Lisa
Project director for exhibition; senior instructor Museum Department of Education (1)

Jumbo (Elephant)
Skeleton featured in exhibition

Jumbo (Exhibition)
1974 American Museum of Natural History exhibition on Jumbo

Musser, Guy G.
Curator-in-charge of exhibition; Museum Department of Mammalogy (2, p. 35)

New York State Roosevelt Memorial
Location of exhibition (Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall) 1993 January 22 - 1993 October 31

Raphael-Reese, Andrea
Designed exhibition with Victoria Stilwell; Museum Department of Exhibition (1)

Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Combined Shows
Provided clowns and elephants for exhibition festivities; referred to as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Museum documentation (1; 2 p. 69)

Sommer, Helmut
In charge of installation and maintenance of Jumbo mount for exhibition; senior technician, Museum Department of Mammalogy (1)

Stilwell, Victoria
Designed exhibition with Andrea Raphael-Reese; Museum Department of Exhibition (1)

Toy, Chris
Edited video in exhibition; Museum Audio/Visual Department (1)

Vitamanti, Craig
Did research for exhibition; affiliation unknown, but most likely Museum employee (1)

Related Resources

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1992-1993: 8, 35, 66, 69, 72.

American Museum of Natural History annual reports, 1902-2001.
"Annual Report Department of Mammalogy The American Museum of Natural History Report for the Year Ending 30 June 1999." 1993: 8.

American Museum of Natural History photographic drawers
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Black and white contact sheets of exhibition in preparation and on view]

American Museum of Natural History vertical files
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Color photo prints, brochures, flyers, copies of January-February 1993 issue of Grapevine, photocopy page from 1992-1993 Museum Annual Report, news article]

Grapevine.
"JUMBOMANIA Sweeps the Museum." (January-February 1993)

subjectOf

Jumbo: The World-Famous Elephant exhibition photographic slides. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.
Date of resource: 1993

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