The thought of wildlife in Colorado may instantly conjure images of bears, moose and mountain lions — but until Jan. 25, 2026, Denver is hosting elephants. That’s thanks to a new exhibit at  Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where The Secret World of Elephants takes visitors on an odyssey exploring how these majestic creatures can “hear” through their feet, reshape their environments and communicate through low-frequency rumbles.

© Denver Museum of Nature and Science

“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, 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.”

© Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Created in New York at American Museum of Natural History, where it debuted, The Secret World of Elephants comes to Denver on its initial stop on a national tour. It’s on view in the Phipps Gallery on the third floor of the museum, with interactive exhibits including an African elephant model, an elephant behavior interactive that tests your prowess in “speaking elephant,” displays explaining how the world’s largest living land mammal can process from 300 to 500 pounds of food each day, and a fascinating documentary film telling the story of a Kenyan elephant sanctuary that rehabilitates orphaned elephants.