Schools competition: Be the first to see Dippy in Glasgow

The Natural History Museum’s famous diplodocus is temporarily moving in to Kelvingrove in January.

And as Dippy expert Lorraine Cornish explains, it’s practically a homecoming….

“The roots of the Dippy story are in Scotland,” agrees Lorraine, who is the Natural History Museum’s head of conservation.

“So it is very fitting that he is coming back…”

When railroad workers unearthed the fossilised bones of a diplodocus in Wyoming, USA in 1898, newspapers billed the discovery as the ‘most colossal animal ever on Earth’.

Scottish-born millionaire businessman Andrew Carnegie heard the reports and set out to acquire the bones as a centrepiece for his new museum in Pittsburg.

King Edward VII saw a sketch of the dinosaur while visiting Carnegie at his Scottish castle and remarked how much he’d like a similar specimen for the animal galleries of the Natural History Museum.

Carnegie obliged by commissioning a replica cast of his dinosaur, and it became an instant hit when it was unveiled in 1905. It has been enchanting visitors to the museum in London ever since.

“Dinosaurs continue to fascinate people, of all ages,” smiles Lorraine. “It’s strange and wonderful to think of these huge creatures, some ferocious, some gentle, roaming the earth so many millions of years ago.

“Dippy is a national treasure. We get around five million visitors every year and many of them come just to see him.”

She adds: “So when we decided to renovate the central hall, we thought – what will this mean for Dippy? And the idea to take him on tour was born.”

Lorraine laughs: “Was it a crazy idea? Probably! Dippy was built to stay in one place, so we had no idea if we could move him – would the plaster be durable enough? Could we really dismantle him and rebuild him in different places? My job was to make it work and ensure no harm came to our beloved dinosaur in the process.”

A specially equipped van will transport Dippy to Glasgow from his most recent stop in Belfast. It will then take the team a week to put all 292 bones back together. The skeleton when displayed is 21.3 metres long, 4.3 metres wide and 4.25 metres high.

Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure also aims to encourage people to explore nature on their doorstep. Kelvingrove Museum will use Dippy’s visit to showcase the city’s natural habitats and Glasgow Museums’ natural history collection, strengthening existing and forging new partnerships between regional cultural, scientific and wildlife organisations.

“More and more of us are getting excited about the natural world and how we can enjoy it and look after it, thanks to programmes like Blue Planet,” says Lorraine.

“Dippy’s on a mission to inspire people. We can’t wait to bring him to Scotland - we are really excited about coming to Kelvingrove.”

DIPPY the dinosaur is on the move – and here is your chance to be the first to see him in Glasgow.

The Natural History Museum’s famous diplodocus is temporarily moving in to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum as part of a tour around Britain.

The Evening Times has teamed up with Glasgow Life, the charity which delivers cultural, sporting and learning activities on behalf of Glasgow City Council, to offer schoolchildren in the city the opportunity to meet Dippy face to face.

The winning class would be the very first people to see Dippy up close in Scotland – the Life Museum at Kelvingrove is the only Scottish stop on his journey.

Chairman of Glasgow Life Councillor David McDonald, said: “The Life Gallery, which is home to a number of fascinating creatures from the natural history world, is one of our most visited spaces at Kelvingrove Museum. We are confident Dippy will feel right at home among them.

“More than 1.3 million people visit the museum every year and many of them are schoolchildren. This is a wonderful opportunity for any class learning about dinosaurs and the natural world to be the first in Scotland to see this incredible creature up close.”

Glasgow Museums, together with partners including RSPB, The Hunterian and The Geological Society of Glasgow have organised an exciting programme of events and activities to accompany Dippy’s visit including talks, workshops for families, self-led trails, handling sessions and hands-on activities around the museum.

The winning class will be first to see the 26-metre long dinosaur unveiled on opening day and the winning pupils will have the chance to take part in special Dippy-related activities, including fossil-making and badge design.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this special prize, is tell us – in no more than 100 words – why your dino-daft class deserves to meet Dippy. Don’t forget to include your name, school’s name, and how many children are in the class. The competition is open to all Glasgow primary, secondary, nursery and ASL schools.

Please note, the winning class MUST be available to attend the opening ceremony on January 22 and must make their own way to the museum to arrive no later than 7.45am.

Send your competition entry to: Dippy the Dinosaur Competition, c/o Ann Fotheringham, Features Desk, Evening Times, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, to arrive by 5pm on January 12. For more information, email ann.fotheringham@heraldandtimes.co.uk

Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure, organised by the Natural History Museum in partnership with the Garfield Weston Foundation, and supported by Dell EMC and Williams & Hill, is at Kelvingrove from January 22 until May 6. Entry is free.

Visit www.glasgowmuseums.com/dippy for more information.