The diorama was created for the Paris Exposition of 1867 and subsequently shown at the American Museum of Natural History, Centennial Exposition, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. "Lion Attacking a Dromedary" was purchased by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in 1898 and has been in the museum's collection ever since. As part of a 2017 restoration, the museum found human remains in the diorama. In 2020, the diorama was removed from view in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the lack of accuracy. Starting later that year and continuing into 2021, "Lion Attacking a Dromedary" was returned to public view with additional context.