{"id":133498,"date":"2026-02-20T07:53:40","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:53:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalbison.org\/?post_type=tribe_events&p=133498"},"modified":"2026-02-20T07:53:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:53:40","slug":"the-smithsonian-bison-national-road-trip-kirk-johnson-gary-staab-colorado","status":"publish","type":"tribe_events","link":"https:\/\/nationalbison.org\/event\/the-smithsonian-bison-national-road-trip-kirk-johnson-gary-staab-colorado\/","title":{"rendered":"The Smithsonian Bison National Road Trip \u2013 Kirk Johnson & Gary Staab – Colorado"},"content":{"rendered":"

Join us here at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science as we help kick off a journey from the heart of Colorado to our nation’s capital!<\/p>\n

In celebration of the United States\u2019 250th anniversary and our national mammal, bison, three bison sculptures are being created for display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. These larger than life bronze sculptures are being creating by artist Gary Staab \u2013 creator of our beloved parking garage dinosaurs. The bronzes have been fabricated in a foundry in Loveland, Colorado, and will begin their long journey to Washington, D.C. with a stop here at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science!<\/p>\n

We are overjoyed to welcome back Dr. Kirk Johnson and Gary Staab to share the story of these sculptures, and the incredible conservation efforts they represent.<\/p>\n

Kirk Johnson is the Sant Director of the Smithsonian\u2019s National Museum of Natural History where he oversees the world\u2019s largest natural history collection. Before his arrival at the Smithsonian in 2012, he was a paleontologist at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science where he led scientific expeditions around the world and ultimately served as the museum\u2019s vice president and chief curator.<\/p>\n

Gary Staab is a paleoartist renowned for his accurate and life-size sculptures of dinosaurs and prehistoric life models that are centerpieces of natural history museum collections across the globe, and formerly worked at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science as a sculptor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Join us here at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science as we help kick off a journey from the heart of Colorado to our nation’s capital! 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