THE NATIONAL History Museum’s iconic Dippy the Dinosaur will be at Coventry’s Herbert Art Gallery and Museum for three years from February 20.
The cast of a Diplodocus skeleton, which first arrived in London in 1905, is a 292-bone structure that is 26metres long, 4.17metres high.
The structure’s arrival comes five years after Dippy went on a UK tour, taking in Birmingham, Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and other areas.
Every venue and region that played host to the well-travelled Diplodocus cast reported the ‘Dippy effect’, with a record-breaking 2million visitors recorded and an economic benefit of just under £36million across the eight regions.
Picture by Bill Smith from Norwich Cathedral. s
When Dippy returned to the museum for its temporary installation Dippy Returns: The Nation’s Favourite Dinosaur, it attracted more than 1million people.
It is hoped the same benefits will be seen in Coventry, with the dino-star continuing to engage people of all ages with nature and inspiring them to protect it.
Dippy’s long-term loan to Herbert Art Gallery and Museum also follows the venue’s vast refurbishment in preparation for Coventry UK City of Culture, enabling the gallery to display more works and major world-class exhibitions including The Turner Prize 2021.
Paul Breed, CEO of CV Life which operates Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, said it was fantastic to have something so iconic coming to Coventry.
“It’s a brilliant opportunity for the Herbert, but with how much footfall it will bring, it’s also a huge opportunity for Coventry and the wider economy.
“We look forward to welcoming Dippy and I can’t wait to see the impact it will have on visitors.”
A free ticketing system will make Dippy accessible to everyone from Coventry schoolchildren to international tourists.
Dr Doug Gurr, National History Museum Director, said: “Dippy has always been a much-loved and hugely popular attraction here in London.
“After a brief respite back here at the museum where over a million more people visited Dippy Returns: The Nation’s Favourite Dinosaur, we couldn’t be more thrilled that Dippy will now be taking up residence in Coventry.
“We wish the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum every success and know that Dippy will continue to educate and inspire visitors to explore nature on their own doorsteps and become advocates for the planet.”
Tickets will be made available in advance via https://www.theherbert.org/ with more details to follow.
