Dippy the Diplodocus – the UK’s most famous dinosaur – has arrived at National Museum Cardiff
Paid collaboration with National Museum Cardiff
Dippy is finally here in Cardiff! The UK’s most famous dinosaur has arrived in the main hall of National Museum Cardiff, officially opening to the public tomorrow, Saturday 19 October, and free to visit until Sunday 26 January 2020.
We headed to the museum after school today for a sneak preview as part of our role as blogger ambassadors with National Museum Wales. There was much excitement from my children at seeing the iconic prehistoric replica for themselves – not to mention from me too!
Usually found in the Hintze Hall at the Natural History Museum, Dippy is cast from a near complete Diplodocus skeleton, which was discovered in Wyoming, America in 1898. Made up of 292 bones, Dippy is an impressive 21.3 metres long, 4.3 metres wide and 4.25 metres high.
Unveiled in 1905, Dippy was the first ever rigged dinosaur to go on display and has been viewed by an estimated 90 million visitors so far. One of London’s most famous residents, he’s featured in films such as One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing and both Paddington films.
Dippy on tour
But for the last year and a half, Dippy has been absent from his usual home, hitting the road for a tour across the UK. He arrived at his only Welsh destination here in Cardiff following a visit to Newcastle.
You’ll see Dippy as soon as you walk into the museum – he takes up most of the left side of the main hall. Walking from underneath his head to the tip of his tail gives an incredible sense of just how huge these creatures were. It’s believed Dippy weighed 15 tonnes – the same weight as 10 cars. Scientists believe the thin end of his tail was used like a whip to scare predators, while his teeth are arranged like a rake to strip leaves from giant leaves.
Photo tips
His sheer length makes him hard to fit into a photograph, but a friendly member of museum staff told us the best spot is crouched down by the right-hand side of the door. You can also get some great shots from the museum’s balconies.
The museum are expecting it to be busy this opening weekend so it might be tricky getting photos without loads of other people in them. Heading after school turned out to be a great idea because the museum was so quiet! We arrived at 4pm and managed an hour before it shut at 5pm, which didn’t give us too much time to see everything else, but as regular visitors, and with the museum being free, this wasn’t an issue for us. We just wanted to see Dippy!
Dippy-themed events
As well as viewing Dippy up close, National Museum Cardiff also have a whole host of events to celebrate the diplodocus’ arrival, including Dippy Dino Night sleepovers, silent discos including one for families, talks, and an opportunity to stretch under Dippy’s gaze in a relaxing yoga class.
See below for a full list of Dippy-inspired events.
The museums’ youth forum have also taken over one of the museum’s gallery spaces, with young people using second hand clothes to create sculptures of dinosaurs and other extinct creatures as a commentary on the effect fast fashion and waste is having on our environment. Sadly this area wasn’t open when we visited – but we’ll definitely be back to explore further.
While you’re there, don’t forget to visit the Evolution of Wales gallery which has its own impressive display of dinosaur skeletons and replicas.
Dippy giftshop
As you’d imagine, the museum’s gift shop is full of dino-related merchandise. And there’s also a dedicated Dippy store, located where the start of the Evolution of Wales gallery is usually found. Here you’ll find Dippy t-shirts, bags, mugs, magnets, books, fluffy dinosaur toys, excavation kits, hatchable eggs and more. Prices start from £2.
Dippy will be at National Museum Cardiff from Saturday 19 October 2019 until Sunday 26 January 2020. For more information visit museum.wales/dippy
National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NP. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm. Open most Bank Holiday Mondays.
Admission is free.
Will you be visiting Dippy on Tour at National Museum Cardiff? Do let me know in the comments below, on the Cardiff Mummy Says Facebook page or you can tweet me on @cardiffmummy See the Cardiff Mummy Says Instagram Stories for more highlights from our visit.
Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure has been brought about by the Natural History Museum, in partnership with the Garfield Weston Foundation and supported by Dell EMC and Williams & Hill, working with partners UK wide to tour one of its most iconic exhibits over three years. National Museum Cardiff has received the generous support of Admiral, Great Western Railway and John Lewis and Partners’ Cardiff store in bringing Dippy to Wales.
After visiting Cardiff, Dippy will then head to Number One Riverside, Rochdale from 10 February to 28 June 2020 and Norwich Cathedral from 11 July to 31 October 2020.
Dippy-themed events at National Museum Cardiff
Please see the museum’s website for full details. Most of these events need to be pre-booked.
Meet Dippy
Saturday 19 October 18, 1.30pm, 3pm
£2 per person;
A family-friendly talk by Dr Caroline Buttler, Head of Palaeontology. Hear how Dippy was discovered and eventually came to London; see where and when Dippy lived and how palaeontologists have found out what this remarkable animal was like when it was alive.
Quiet Times with Dippy
3 November and 8 December, 9am-10am
Free
Quiet sessions designed for visitors with autism, learning disabilities or sensory and communication disorders, along with their families and carers. There will be reduced capacity and quieter atmosphere.
Dinosaurs and Deserts in Wales
10 November, 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm
£2 per person. Ages 8+
A family-friendly talk fromCindy Howells, Curator of Palaeontology, about the dinosaurs which used to roam the deserts of Wales over 200 million years ago. Find out what South Wales looked like, how many different dinosaurs lived here, how they evolved and what they looked like, as well as learning about the biggest extinction of all time.
Dippy about Yoga
14, 21 and 28 November, 7.30am
£10; adults-only
A unique chance to practice yoga under the iconic Dippy the Diplodocus skeleton. Suitable for everyone regardless of experience or age.
Museum Sleepover: Dippy Dino Night (SOLD OUT)
16 November, 5:30pm-9am
Ages 6-12 and their grown-ups
£54 | £65 | £75
A very special sleepover, discover what goes on after dark at the museum with special guest Dippy. Activities include a torch-lit tour to explore Wales as it was 200 million years ago; craft workshops, a film before bed, camping in the hall under Dippy, plus breakfast the following morning.
Talk: Meet Dippy
Saturday 30 November, 12pm
£2 per person; age 8+
A family-friendly talk by Dr Caroline Buttler, Head of Palaeontology. Hear how Dippy was discovered and eventually came to London; see where and when Dippy lived and how palaeontologists have found out what this remarkable animal was like when it was alive.
Dinosaurs and Deserts in Wales
Saturday 30 November, 1.30pm
£2 per person. Ages 8+
A family-friendly talk from Cindy Howells, Curator of Palaeontology, about the dinosaurs which used to roam the deserts of Wales over 200 million years ago. Find out what South Wales looked like, how many different dinosaurs lived here, how they evolved and what they looked like, as well as learning about the biggest extinction of all time.
Hush: Family-friendly silent disco
Saturday 30 November, 6pm
£12 per person; age 5+
Prehistoric musical family fun. DJs will keep your feet moving as you and your little ones dance away under Dippy’s gaze.
Hush: Silent disco
Saturday 30 November, 8.30pm-12pm
£25; age 18+
Some of the city’s finest DJs battle it out for your listening loyalty as you dance along to party classics under Dippy’s gaze.
Talk: No, I Don’t Make it Up! How to Build Dinosaurs from the Inside-Out
Saturday 7 December, 5pm
£4-£5; ages 7+
Bob Nicholls, an artist who recreates dinosaurs in illustrations and models, will talk about how he uses the fossil material to literally create the animal from the inside out. It’s a time-consuming method, but one that produces breathtaking results that are used in museums across the world. You’ll also get to meet a life-size model Psittacosaurus that was recreated using this technique.
Big Bones, Big Politics, and High Culture: How Dippy Became the Poster child of Peace (and War)
Saturday 7 December, 7pm
£6; 18+
Ilja Nieuwland, author of American Dinosaur Abroad: A Cultural History of Carnegie’s Plaster Diplodocus, will tell the untold story of Andrew Carnegie’s prized dinosaur and its influence on European culture, for an exclusive evening talk under Dippy himself.
Dinosaurs and Deserts in Wales
Sunday 8 December, 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm
£2 per person. Ages 8+
A family-friendly talk from Cindy Howells, Curator of Palaeontology, about the dinosaurs which used to roam the deserts of Wales over 200 million years ago. Find out what South Wales looked like, how many different dinosaurs lived here, how they evolved and what they looked like, as well as learning about the biggest extinction of all time.
Lates: Dino
Thursday 16 January, 6.15pm
£17; age 18+
Settle down in our cinema for an epic Jurassic-age film with Dippy the Diplodocus in residence at the museum. The night includes a film screening, popcorn, DJ, Dippy torch-lit tour, stones and bones from the museum collections, plus a pay bar.
Talk: Meet Dippy
Saturday 18 January, 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm
£2 per person; age 7+
A family-friendly talk by Dr Caroline Buttler, Head of Palaeontology. Hear how Dippy was discovered and eventually came to London; see where and when Dippy lived and how palaeontologists have found out what this remarkable animal was like when it was alive.
Museum Sleepover: Dippy Dino Night
Saturday 25 January 2020, 5:30pm-9am
Ages 6-12 and their grown-ups
£54 | £65 | £75
A very special sleepover, discover what goes on after dark at the museum with special guest Dippy. Activities include a torch-lit tour to explore Wales as it was 200 million years ago; craft workshops, a film before bed, camping in the hall under Dippy, plus breakfast the following morning. Fully booked – message the museum to be added to the waiting list.
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