THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION COMES TO HERMANN PARK
Hermann Park Conservancy, with the support of a lead gift from the Dunwoody Charitable Foundation, presents The Great Elephant Migration – a month-long public art installation featuring 100 life-sized sculptures of Indian elephants made from dried lantana plants. On site throughout the month of April 2025, Houston is the fourth stop on this traveling installation’s global journey, which will also feature the largest tusker the herd has ever had on display. As part of the Conservancy’s Art in the Park initiative, the public art installation invites visitors to experience the beauty of wildlife conservation and sustainability.
From Tuesday, April 1, through Wednesday, April 30, The Great Elephant Migration can be experienced at Hermann Park for free during the Park’s operating hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. The majority of herd are located in the Park’s newest destination, the Commons, with additional pods at the Houston Museum of Natural Science and in the Texas Medical Center.
“The Great Elephant Migration is more than an art installation—it is a call to action and a place to experience joy,” said Cara Lambright, president & CEO of Hermann Park Conservancy. “By bringing this breathtaking global effort to Hermann Park, we are inviting our community to be part of a worldwide movement to protect ecosystems, eradicate invasive species, and inspire change. These are shared values that span continents.”
ABOUT THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION
The Great Elephant Migration is the fundraising adventure of 100 life-size Indian elephants migrating across the US to amplify indigenous knowledge and inspire the human race to share space. As they travel, they tell the story of Asia’s wild elephants and the indigenous communities living alongside them, where people and elephants coexist in the densest populations in the world. A collaboration between indigenous artisans, contemporary artists and cultural institutions, it is raising millions of dollars to power human-wildlife coexistence projects through partnerships with over 20 conservation NGOs in the USA and around the world.
Visit thegreatelephantmigration.org to learn more about this initiative and see their previous stops.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Hermann Park Conservancy, in partnership with a handful of local organizations, presents a series of engaging activities alongside the installation. The lineup of free events offers additional educational and entertaining opportunities for visitors to connect to the message of the exhibit.
- Friday, April 4 | 9 a.m. | Houston Public Library Storytime (located at the Oak Deck)
- Saturday, April 5 | 12 – 2 p.m. | Asia Society of Texas – Elephant Origami (located in the Wortham Pavilion)
- Saturday, April 12 | 5:30 – 6 p.m. | Moksh Community Arts’ Bollywood Dance Demo and Mini-Lesson (located at the Tsuru Family Terrace)
- Sunday, April 13 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Trees for Houston’s Tree Giveaway (located by the Wortham Pavilion)
- Friday, April 18 | 9 a.m. | Houston Public Library Storytime (located at the Tsuru Family Terrace)
- Saturday, April 19 | 9 a.m. | Outdoor Yoga with Black Swan Yoga (located at the Tsuru Family Terrace) – REGISTER HERE!
- Saturday, April 19 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Texas Agri-Life – Harris County Master Gardeners’ Youth Empowerment Workshop: Native Seed Bombs (located by Wortham Pavilion)
- Thursday, April 24 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Collaborative for Children Activity (located at Wortham Pavilion)
- Friday, April 25 | 7 p.m. | Evening Yoga with Black Swan Yoga (located at the Tsuru Family Terrace) – REGISTER HERE!
- Saturday, April 26 | 2 p.m. | Elephants in the Attic Children’s Book Reading by Local Author Debra Hatch (located at the Tsuru Family Terrace)
- Sunday, April 27 | 10 a.m. | Houston Public Library Storytime (located at the Tsuru Family Terrace)
- Sunday, April 27 | 1 – 3 p.m. | The Health Museum Children’s Activity (located at the Wortham Pavilion)
The Conservancy is also collaborating with neighboring Park institutions to offer even more opportunities for engagement.
- Wednesday, April 2 | 6:30 p.m. | Lecture on Conservation (Hosted by Houston Museum of Natural Science)
- Friday, April 11 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Member Night at HMNS
- Tuesday, April 22 | 3 – 7 p.m. | Earth Day Celebration at HMNS
In addition to these programs, Hotel Zaza is offering a special “Texas Road Trip” package, perfect for vacations or staycations. You can elevate your visit to see the herd with this offer that includes a $100 resort credit, 20% off valet parking, and 2 tickets for the Hermann Park Railroad, Lott Family Carousel, and pedal boats on McGovern Lake. Learn more about this fun deal HERE.
GET INVOLVED
If you are interested in supporting The Great Elephant Migration’s stay in Hermann Park, we welcome help through volunteers and sponsorships. Proceeds from local sponsors for this event directly support Hermann Park Conservancy’s program, including invasive species management within the Park.
Click HERE to learn about sponsorship opportunities.
If interested in volunteering, email volunteer@hermannpark.org for more information.
FAQS
If you have more questions or want to learn more about the exhibit and expectations of visitors, please see our FAQs HERE.
A map of Hermann Park with the locations of the elephant sculptures can be seen below.
PARKING
Visitors are encouraged to bike or use public transportation such as the METRO Red Line, which runs adjacent to the Park or local bus.
The METRORail can be used to get to the Commons for just $1.25 each way. More information on how to use the METRORail to get to the exhibit can be found HERE.
Free parking in the Park may be found HERE. Additional parking may be found in the Texas Medical Center. Parking Lot S is closed to public use for the month of April.
If you plan to use rideshare, the pick-up and drop-off location is Lot S, located next to Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, which is directly across the street from the Commons.
If you plan to visit on the weekend, below is a parking garage option in the Texas Medical Center that is available for a fee:
- The Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza Garage (Winpark), located at 6400 Fannin Street, is across the street from the Commons site. There is a daily fee to park in this garage on the weekend.
PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
Thank you to the local organizations and individuals who are supporting The Great Elephant Migration’s presence in Hermann Park! If you would like to support The Great Elephant Migration in Hermann Park, click HERE to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
Brought to Houston through the generosity of:
Dunwoody Charitable Foundation | The Cockrell Foundation | Duncan Genesis Foundation | Linda and George Kelly
Joined by:
CKP | Chevron Phillips Chemical | Cece and Mack Fowler | Marley Lott | Laura and Brad McWilliams | Sara and Bill Morgan | H. Joe Nelson, III | Judy and Charles Tate | UTHealth Houston
With support from:
Texas Medical Center | Houston Museum of Natural Science | Houston Parks and Recreation Department