Entry No. 18 — the Helena file — filed under: outdoor
Giant Buffalo Skull ("Herd Bull")
On the lawn of Montana's history museum in Helena sits a buffalo skull the size of a small house: 15 feet long, 21 feet wide, over two tons of recycled sheet metal. Montana artist Benji Daniels welded it in 1990 from scrap refinery steel and bills it as the largest buffalo skull in the world, roughly 12 times life size. After years of being hauled around the Great Plains, the "Herd Bull" now sits outside the new Montana Heritage Center (225 N. Roberts St.), free to view any time.
The story
In 1990, Montana artist Benji Daniels took over two tons of recycled scrap steel from oil refineries and welded together a skull roughly 12 times the size of an actual bison. He christened it the "Herd Bull," a 15-foot-long, 21-foot-wide hollow frame of industrial sheet metal reshaped into the icon of the Great Plains.
Before settling in the capital, Daniels hauled the 4,000-pound metal skull across the Great Plains for years, treating highways and open fields as a roving roadshow for giant steel taxidermy. It eventually made a permanent home on the lawn of the Montana Historical Society at 225 N. Roberts Street, right in front of the Montana Heritage Center.
There is a quiet irony in placing a giant, hollow skull made of refinery junk on the front grass of the state's official history headquarters. While standard capital monuments lean toward stoic bronze politicians, Helena ended up with a house-sized metal cow skull standing guard over Montana's official archives.
What it's like
You will spot the steel skull sitting directly on the grass outside 225 N. Roberts Street. Because it rests on the open lawn, there are no gates or admission fees—you can walk right up to it at 2:00 AM if you want. Stand under the 21-foot horn span for forced-perspective photos that make you look microscopic, then step inside the history museum lobby next door when you are ready to warm up.
The move: Pose for forced-perspective photos dwarfed by the giant skull, then wander into the free history museum lobby next door.
- 📍 Helena
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Montana Historical Society front lawn, 225 N Roberts St, Helena, MT 59601
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Curiouser and Curiouser — Pair a two-ton welded steel skull on the state museum lawn with a visit to a retired philosophy professor's storefront packed with custom 'urban folk art'.
- The Rathskeller at the Montana Club — Trade an open-air scrap metal oddity for a drink in a subterranean basement speakeasy beneath an 1885 gentlemen's club.
- Windbag Saloon & Grill — Follow up a giant refinery-steel bison skull with a burger inside an 1882 building that formerly housed a vaudeville hall and a brothel.
Good to know
How much does it cost to see the giant buffalo skull?
Nothing. It sits outdoors on the front lawn of the Montana Heritage Center and is free to view 24/7.
How big is the "Herd Bull" sculpture?
It measures 15 feet long, 21 feet wide across the horns, and weighs over two tons (more than 4,000 pounds), making it about 12 times life size.
What is the skull made of?
Montana artist Benji Daniels welded the entire structure in 1990 using scrap steel recycled from oil refineries.
Where is it located?
On the front lawn of the Montana Historical Society / Montana Heritage Center at 225 N Roberts St in Helena, Montana.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Roadside America · helenair.com · nbcmontana.com · bozemandailychronicle.com
last checked: 2026-06-24