Three larger-than-life bronze bison sculptures are stopping by this Chicago museum for a very limited time

Safe to say that Chicago has always had a soft spot for big, symbolic animals. After all, the lions outside the Art Institute of Chicago practically function as unofficial city mascots. Soon, for two days at least, they’ll have some equally imposing company.

On March 16 and 17, three bronze bison monuments will make a pit stop outside the Field Museum as part of an unusual cross-country journey that’s equal parts public art tour and historical tribute.

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The sculptures are traveling from a foundry in Colorado to Washington, D.C., where they’ll ultimately live on the National Mall in connection with a new exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History titled “Bison: Standing Strong.” The show was created to honor the American bison ahead of the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary. (Fun fact: The bison was designated the country’s national mammal in 2016.)

But before they settle into their permanent home, the massive bronzes embark on a weeklong “migration” across their former range throughout the Midwest. Their route includes stops in Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, with Chicago serving as one of the most fitting resting points.

The Field Museum has displayed bison in its wildlife dioramas for more than a century, while Brookfield Zoo has maintained a herd since 1940. Meanwhile, on the West Side, Humboldt Park features its own pair of bronze bison sculptures, descendants of plaster versions created for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.

In other words, Chicago knows its bison.

During the brief visit, the three traveling sculptures will be displayed outdoors on the museum campus, giving visitors a rare chance to see them up close before they continue east. Experts connected to the Smithsonian exhibition will also be on hand to talk about bison history, conservation efforts and the story behind the sculptures themselves.

The bronzes will be on public view from 9am to 5pm on Monday, March 16, and from 9am to 10am on Tuesday, March 17. At 10am on that second morning, museum staff will gather with visitors to send the herd off on the final leg of its journey to Washington.

Think of it as a farewell parade Midwestern style. No floats or marching bands, just three enormous bronze bison heading east, stopping briefly in Chicago as any sensible traveler would.