UK’s ‘most popular’ dinosaur Dippy heading to Coventry
More than three million people have seen the replica in recent times.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Popular dinosaur exhibit Dippy the Diplodocus, which has drawn millions of visitors around the country, is heading to Coventry.
The city’s Herbert Art Gallery & Museum will be hosting the 26-metre long replica skeleton for three years, from February 20, in time for the start of the spring half-term holidays.
Museum bosses, fresh from helping host Coventry’s City of Culture festivities, including the 2021 Turner Prize, said there will be free ticketing to see the Jurassic giant so all can enjoy the “world-class exhibit”.
The huge model was cast from five different skeletons, including one dug up by railway workers in the United States in 1898.
It was first assembled and put on display at London’s Natural History Museum in 1905.
The 292-bone structure fascinated crowds in the city for 110 years, but recently went on an eight-city tour to Dorchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Glasgow, Newcastle, Cardiff, Rochdale and Norwich.
More than two million people went to see the sauropod model while it was travelling around the UK, with another million visitors filing past once it was back in London.
Dippy is more than four metres high and 4.3 metres wide, bringing to life the scale of a species which lived between 156 and 145 million years ago.
Dr Doug Gurr, Natural History Museum director, said the “much-loved and hugely popular attraction” was “the perfect ambassador for nature”, and would continue to “educate and inspire”.
He added: “We couldn’t be more thrilled that Dippy will now be taking up residence in Coventry.”
Paul Breed, chief executive of CV Life, which runs the Herbert, welcomed the chance to host the UK’s “most popular dinosaur”, adding it was “a huge opportunity for Coventry and the wider economy”.
He added: “This kind of world-class exhibit should be available to all and I’m glad that with our free ticketing system Dippy will be accessible to everyone, from Coventry school kids to international tourists – it’s going to be a brilliant three years.”
Free tickets will be available to book on the gallery’s website nearer to Dippy’s arrival.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.