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Rise, near extinction and recovery of the American bison on display in new Smithsonian exhibit

05:41

Here & Now Newsroom

April 15, 2026

Two bison in a
paddock behind the Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle, in a photo taken between 1886 and 1889. They were acquired by the United States National Museum's Department of Living Animals, which eventually became the National Zoological Park.
(Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives) — Two bison in a paddock behind the Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle, in a photo taken between 1886 and 1889. They were acquired by the United States National Museum's Department of Living Animals, which eventually became the National Zoological Park. (Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives)

To mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, we’re cataloging 25 objects that define the country’s history.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has a new exhibit tracing the rise, near extinction and recovery of the bison.

Here & Now's Deborah Becker speaks with museum director Kirk Johnson about a prehistoric skull at the centerpiece of the story and why it's important for American history.

This segment aired on April 15, 2026.

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