Boston is about to welcome an unforgettable outdoor art experience. Beginning August 8, The Great Elephant Migration transforms the tree-lined Commonwealth Avenue Mall into a free, open-air gallery featuring 100 life-sized elephant sculptures stretching from Fairfield Street to Arlington Street in the heart of Back Bay.
Each elephant is hand-carved from dried lantana root—an invasive plant species—by Indigenous artisans from India’s Nilgiri Hills. Every sculpture is modeled after a real, named elephant that shares its landscape with local communities, telling a powerful story of coexistence between people and wildlife.
More than an art installation, The Great Elephant Migration is a global conservation initiative. Proceeds from elephant sales help fund projects that support human-wildlife coexistence and protect migratory species around the world.
Visitors can wander among towering bulls, protective matriarchs, and playful calves, snap memorable photos, and even purchase one of the sculptures to contribute to ongoing conservation efforts.
The exhibit is completely free and open to the public from August 8 through September 13, 2026, before the herd continues its journey to its next destination.
