Wednesday 12 August marks the annual World Elephant Day, which aims to raise awareness of this species. In 2026, the Chemnitz Museum of Natural History will be taking part in this global initiative with a special display.
Three display cases in the museum’s freely accessible entrance area provide insights into the evolutionary history and biology of this group. The entrance area, which houses the cabinet exhibition, can be visited without an admission ticket. The small exhibition will be on display for an extended period.
The exhibits come from the Museum of Natural History’s storage cellar. There, research trainee Christopher Herrmann discovered collection items that trace the entire evolutionary history of proboscideans: from the teeth of the earliest, hare-sized ancestors of elephants, through mammoth fossils, to the remains of their living relatives, the rock hyrax and manatees.
Regular opening hours
| Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday | 9 am to 5 pm |
| Saturday, Sunday, public holidays | 10 am to 6 pm |
Please note: During the school holidays, the Natural History Museum is also open on Wednesdays from 9 am to 3 pm (including 12 August).