Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

Africa Trail

Cheetahs, ostrich, addaxes, kudus, and a Hartmann’s mountain zebra all reside on Africa Trail.

August 19, 1992 – September 16, 2024

National Zoo

American Bison

See American bison—the animal that inspired the founding of the National Zoo.

August 30, 2014 – September 13, 2024

National Zoo

Celebrate Smokey: 75 Years of Fighting Wildfires

A new Smokey Bear outdoor exhibit at Smithsonian’s National Zoo invites visitors to look back at the legacy of one of the most famous residents in the Zoo’s 130-year history.

May 23, 2019 – July 31, 2022

National Zoo

Bird House

The National Zoo is home to hundreds of birds from all over the world.

1928 – January 2, 2017

National Zoo

Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea

Experience Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, a larger-than-life exhibit of 17 marine wildlife sculptures—from jellyfish to sharks—made entirely of plastic pollution directly recovered from oceans. The sculptures represent more than 315 billion pounds of plastic in oceans, illustrating the devastating effects of the ocean's deadliest predator—trash.

May 27, 2016 – September 5, 2016

National Zoo

Pollinarium

Living plants, butterflies, and bees are used to explore pollination.

April 19, 1996 – June 21, 2014

National Zoo

Invertebrates

This exhibition is home to dozens of invertebrate species -- the most abundant creatures on earth -- from sea stars to spiny lobsters, to giant African millipedes, to tarantulas, to a giant Pacific octopus.

May 7, 1987 – June 21, 2014

National Zoo

Jessie Cohen: An Eye for Animals

See stunning animal portraits by long-time Zoo photographer Jessie Cohen.

October 27, 2011 – December 31, 2012

National Zoo

Heritage Gardens: African American and Native American

On view are living examples of plants used by Native Americans and African Americans for food and medicines.

August 1, 1992 – November 1, 2010

National Zoo

Bats on Exhibit

Hang out with some 15 bats of 3 species -- Big Fruit, Short-tailed, and Hammerhead -- in this recently opened exhibit.

October 1, 1984 – December 31, 2009

National Zoo

Seals

Visit with gray seals and California sea lions.

October 1, 1978 – November 30, 2009

National Zoo

Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest Winners: 2007

See the winners in the 2007 Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest state competitions; the entries represent each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories.

April 27, 2007 – May 4, 2007

National Zoo

Australia/Asia Exhibit

Visit tree kangaroos, rat kangaroos, echidnas, and Prevost's squirrels, whose native habitat is Australia, New Zealand, and neighboring islands in the South Pacific.

May 1, 1984 – October 1, 2006

National Zoo

Wildlife Photography Rotating Display

Visit a rotating display of wildlife photography by Zoo and FONZ Photo Club photographers.

April 9, 2005 – July 24, 2006

National Zoo

American Prairie

Learn about the prairie's story from biological, environmental, and cultural perspectives on the Prairie Plant Discovery Trail.

July 8, 1999 – April 26, 2005

National Zoo

American Bison

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the National Zoo again has an exhibition of American plains bison - two 1,500-pound females, aged 13 and 18 years.

December 1, 1984 – October 31, 2004

National Zoo

A Magic Web: The Tropical Forest of Barro Colorado Island

See 40 photographs taken by ecologist Christian Ziegler at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on Panama's Barro Colorado Island.

November 3, 2003 – June 6, 2004

National Zoo

Paintings by Chuck Baird

See 8 wildlife paintings by Chuck Baird, resident artist at Gallaudet University, that incorporate American Sign Language for the names of the animals.

June 8, 2002 – July 31, 2002

National Zoo

Australia Pavilion

Visit 2 great grey kangaroos and 3 dama wallabies, and also view a barrier reef aquatic exhibit.

September 15, 1989 – July 5, 2002

National Zoo

Giant Panda Photo Contest Winners

Enjoy winning photographs from the Fujifilm Giant Panda Photo Contest.

October 10, 2001 – June 7, 2002

National Zoo

On A Wing and A Prayer: Migratory Birds of the Americas

Investigate 64 photographs of American migratory birds by Arthur Morris that reveal the variety of species that migrate throughout the Americas,

April 26, 2001 – April 30, 2002

National Zoo

Vanishing Pollinators

View 34 color photographs by biologist and photographer Carll Goodpasture that are used to explore the biological process of pollination.

May 5, 2000 – April 25, 2001

National Zoo

Monkey Island

Visit Monkey Island - home for a small colony of Barbary macaques (monkeys of Gibraltar and North Africa).

April 1, 1983 – February 1, 2001

National Zoo

Giant Panda House - Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing

Meet Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing (pronounced shing-shing), gifts to the United States from the People's Republic of China.

April 16, 1972 – November 28, 1999

National Zoo

Colombia: A Botanical Expedition

Visit 54 reproductions of original botanical illustrations produced between 1782-1816 under the direction of Jose Celestino Mutis, leader of Spain's Royal Botanical Expedition in Colombia.

June 16, 1998 – September 23, 1998

National Zoo