The Secret World of Elephants | Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Enter “The Secret World of Elephants” to discover the remarkable science behind nature’s most lovable giants. How do elephants “hear” with their feet? What animals are their closest-living relatives? How have elephants and humans coexisted for thousands of years? Through hands-on interactions, you will feel the low-frequency rumbles elephants use to communicate, explore how they reshape their environments, and come face-to-face with some of their ancestors, including dwarf elephants. From the ancient Ice Age to the African savanna, get ready to be amazed by elephants’ incredible intelligence and fascinating history — and inspired to help protect their future. All exhibition content is bilingual in English and Spanish.
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Visitors will discover the remarkable science behind nature’s most lovable giants, from how they “hear” through their feet to ways they contribute to daily life around the planet. Denver marks the first stop on the exhibition's national tour after its debut at New York’s American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), where it was created.
Through hands-on interactive stations, guests can feel the low-frequency rumbles elephants use to communicate, explore how they reshape their environments and come face-to-face with models of extinct relatives, such as dwarf elephants. The exhibit will run through Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
“Elephants are more than just the largest land animals alive today—they are the final living representatives of a diverse group of mammals that once roamed across the globe including here in our own backyard,” said Dr. Holly Lutz, associate curator of mammals at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. “The new exhibition ‘The Secret World of Elephants’ tells the story of elephants’ resilience and remarkable adaptation to changing ecosystems and how they evolved into the highly intelligent and social animals we know and love today.”
Presented in the Phipps Gallery on the Museum’s third floor, this fun, hands-on exhibition gives families a unique look at the amazing world of elephants. Guests will discover how these incredible animals evolved, learn about their fascinating behaviors, and see why they're so important to the environments where they live.
Details and Highlights:
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Mammoth tusk interactive: Explore how scientists use isotope “fingerprints” to trace mammoth migration across Alaska 17,000 years ago.
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African elephant model: Discover how an African elephant processes 300–500 pounds of food daily and experiences a nearly two-year gestation period through a video projection on a life-size model.
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Infrasound station: Feel the low-frequency sound waves that elephants use to communicate through the ground and watch projections illustrating how these vibrations travel to their brains.
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Elephant poop interactive: Investigate the science behind elephant poop and how it helps spread seeds and provides nutrients for plants and animals.
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Elephant herd magnets: Create your own elephant herd with large magnets representing the matriarch and other members of the group.
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Elephant behavior interactive: Test how well you can “speak elephant” and correctly guess the meaning behind various behaviors.
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Shaba: Screen a moving documentary video about how one elephant sanctuary in Kenya is working to rehabilitate orphaned elephants
The Secret Life of Elephants is open to members and general admission ticketholders alike. No additional ticket purchase is required.
"The Secret World of Elephants" is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org).
Location:
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80205, United States
See map: Google Maps
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.
Dates:
Time:
9 am - 5 pm | Most Fridays 9 am - 9 pm
Ages
All Ages Adults & kids together Adults without kidsWeb Service