David Attenborough and Jumbo the elephant at the American Museum of Natural History / PHOTO: BBC PICTURES
Sir David Attenborough, the veteran naturalist and broadcaster known for groundbreaking documentaries like Life, Blue Planet, Frozen Planet and Planet Earth, has been working with the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) on a new film.
With the working title Jumbo: The Life Of An Elephant Superstar, Attenborough and a team of experts at the AMNH in New York, New York, created a 60-minute documentary that explores the story of the elephant who inspired Disney’s Dumbo.
Jumbo’s moving story began when he was brought to London Zoo in 1865. But the supersize animal was difficult to control and sold to PT Barnum’s circus in the US. More than 20 million Americans came to see Jumbo and the troubled elephant became a star. Attenborough’s upcoming programme investigates Jumbo’s life and the mysterious circumstances of his death, looking too at elephants in the wild and examining changing attitudes to captivity.
“AMNH provided archive photographs and information, along with direct access to Jumbo’s skeleton,” Roberto Lebron, senior director of communications at the museum told Attractions Management. “The production was interested in doing a DNA analysis of the skeleton, which we facilitated – the results will be discussed in the film. The museum’s provost of science Michael Novacek was also interviewed.”
Lebron says the museum is looking into possible related programming for next year.
Attenborough has collaborated with attractions since the 1950s, when he worked on Zoo Quest alongside the BBC and ZSL London Zoo, establishing his talents in front of the camera.
While with the AMNH, Attenborough also filmed a short video about the importance of natural history museums in learning about and protecting the animal kingdom.
He says: “I’ve been fascinated by animals for as long as I can remember and if you’re fascinated by animals, you want to know more about them. The great place to know about them is, of course, museums.
“Institutions like this are the very foundations of all zoological knowledge.
“The natural world is becoming poorer and more damaged. If we want to prevent it being damaged, we have to understand how it works and we have to understand what it is that we’re doing that may have an effect. That is perhaps the most important thing that’s facing humanity today. If we want to preserve the richness of the animal world, we have to know how it works. And these are the places that tell you.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2017 issue 4
Interview: Jane Cooper
We talked to Jane Cooper, COO
and president of Herschend Family
Entertainment, about the company
portfolio and all things Dollywood
David Attenborough and Jumbo the elephant at the American Museum of Natural History / PHOTO: BBC PICTURES
Sir David Attenborough, the veteran naturalist and broadcaster known for groundbreaking documentaries like Life, Blue Planet, Frozen Planet and Planet Earth, has been working with the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) on a new film.
With the working title Jumbo: The Life Of An Elephant Superstar, Attenborough and a team of experts at the AMNH in New York, New York, created a 60-minute documentary that explores the story of the elephant who inspired Disney’s Dumbo.
Jumbo’s moving story began when he was brought to London Zoo in 1865. But the supersize animal was difficult to control and sold to PT Barnum’s circus in the US. More than 20 million Americans came to see Jumbo and the troubled elephant became a star. Attenborough’s upcoming programme investigates Jumbo’s life and the mysterious circumstances of his death, looking too at elephants in the wild and examining changing attitudes to captivity.
“AMNH provided archive photographs and information, along with direct access to Jumbo’s skeleton,” Roberto Lebron, senior director of communications at the museum told Attractions Management. “The production was interested in doing a DNA analysis of the skeleton, which we facilitated – the results will be discussed in the film. The museum’s provost of science Michael Novacek was also interviewed.”
Lebron says the museum is looking into possible related programming for next year.
Attenborough has collaborated with attractions since the 1950s, when he worked on Zoo Quest alongside the BBC and ZSL London Zoo, establishing his talents in front of the camera.
While with the AMNH, Attenborough also filmed a short video about the importance of natural history museums in learning about and protecting the animal kingdom.
He says: “I’ve been fascinated by animals for as long as I can remember and if you’re fascinated by animals, you want to know more about them. The great place to know about them is, of course, museums.
“Institutions like this are the very foundations of all zoological knowledge.
“The natural world is becoming poorer and more damaged. If we want to prevent it being damaged, we have to understand how it works and we have to understand what it is that we’re doing that may have an effect. That is perhaps the most important thing that’s facing humanity today. If we want to preserve the richness of the animal world, we have to know how it works. And these are the places that tell you.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2017 issue 4
Interview: Jane Cooper
We talked to Jane Cooper, COO
and president of Herschend Family
Entertainment, about the company
portfolio and all things Dollywood
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
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