A NEW interactive exhibition exploring the history of dinosaurs is on show at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry.
Unearth the Palaeoverse: Dig Into the Dawn of Time has transformed part of the city centre gallery into a prehistoric adventure packed with interactive experiences inspired by Dippy – the nation’s favourite dinosaur – which has extended its stay in Coventry until 2027.
Visitors can pass through a cave entrance into the Palaeoverse where they can hunt for fossils in virtual reality and board a computer-generated Jurassic submarine, as well as showcasing dinosaurs on to a giant animated wall.
The exhibition also includes tactile and interactive elements such as a timeline that triggers animations through touch, VR fossil digging experiences, and dressing-up activities.
Kerrie Suteu, Head of Creative Media and Digital at CV Life, which operates the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, said: “We’ve used gamification to entice new audiences into the gallery, inspired by the incredible response to Dippy in Coventry.
“We knew we wanted to go bigger than a standard display, and to build an immersive world building on activities and exhibitions which have proved incredibly popular with visitors to the Herbert.
“We designed experiences like the Jurassic Sea Sub to be neurodivergent-friendly, while still being exciting and engaging for families.
“Whether visitors are fossil digging in VR together or watching their dinosaur drawings come to life, the focus is on shared discovery and memory-making.”
Alongside the interactive experiences, visitors can also take a cinematic journey through an ancient forest landscape filmed by local wildlife filmmaker, Simon Watts, who provides content to the RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts, and provides footage to Springwatch and Chris Packham.
Simon will also be hosting his own separate ‘Warwickshire Wildlife Talks’ at the venue on July 14, where guests will be taken on an illustrated hour-long journey into the natural world.
Unearth the Palaeoverse: Dig Into the Dawn of Time runs until August 31 and is free with museum admission.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/2u3h7zpk for more information.
