Spring 2020Dippy in Rochdale

Dippy, a 21m-long plaster-of-Paris cast of a Diplodocus carnegii skeleton, is on display in Rochdale until 28 June 2020.

First displayed in the Natural History Museum in London in 1905, the 21m-long plaster-of Paris cast of a Diplodocus carnegii skeleton is on display at Number One Riverside in Rochdale town centre until 28 June 2020.

The famous dinosaur left the museum for the first time in 2017 to embark on a national tour and Rochdale has been selected as one of its stops – the only North West stop on the tour.

The plaster cast replica is based on a real fossil skeleton found by railroad workers in Wyoming, USA in 1898.

Dippy was originally unveiled in 1905, and has spent decades wowing visitors as the towering centrepiece of the Natural History Museum’s magnificent Hintze Hall. He is on tour to help inspire the next generation of scientists.

Dippy’s skeleton contains 292 bones, and originally arrived in London in 36 packing cases. He is one of 10 replicas of the original fossil skeleton, with others are housed in Paris, Berlin and Moscow.

Rochdale is one of only eight locations around the UK chosen to host the giant skeleton and a selection of activities for both young and old have been organised to coincide with Dippy’s visit to the town.

Nearly a third of a million visitors are expected to visit Dippy in the heart of Rochdale, just as the new £80 million Rochdale Riverside development reaches completion in April.

An accompanying Dippy exhibition will be hosted at Touchstones Rochdale.

The exhibition at Touchstones, which takes place across three galleries and is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will allow visitors, both young and old, to engage with interactives and hands on displays as they learn all about dinosaurs and the natural world.

Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure will feature fossilised bones including teeth, eggs and even dinosaur poo, and world class fossils are on loan from the Natural History Museum and Manchester Museum.

It is free to see Dippy at Number One Riverside and visit the Dippy exhibition at Touchstones, but booking is required for schools and groups of 10+ people.

Enjoy a unique day out - with TWO Dippy experiences in one

The dinosaur

Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU
Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm
Saturday - Sunday: 9.30am - 5pm
Bank holidays: 10am - 4pm

See Dippy himself at Number One Riverside. Dippy is the centrepiece of a display that will highlight local natural history and nature collections.

A natural history themed exhibition

Touchstones, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AQ
Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm
Saturday - Sunday: 9.30am - 5pm
Bank holidays: 10am - 4pm

Explore the world of the dinosaurs, discover what Rochdale was like during their golden age, and learn more about what we can do to protect our planet.