One of our Dinosaurs is missing....

Rasczak

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Well not quite yet - but soon. It seems the Natural History museum is planning to move their diplodocus cast (which seemingly has been named "dippy" in recent years) out of the main hall:
Natural History Museum dinosaur ‘Dippy’ switched for blue whale skeleton - Telegraph

I think that is really disappointing. This was something I really enjoyed seeing as a youngster as did my children. Whilst I'm sure a blue whale might be exciting for some...its just not the same IMHO.
 
Yes, but they're also planning to create a more robust cast of the skeleton & place it outside. That will look great & should improve Cromwell Road no end.

The blue whale skeleton will be posed in a dramatic diving position, and will look awesome, IMO.
 
But will Peter Ustinov, trying to convince as Chinese, try to run off with it?
 
I agree with the OP. I expect some sort of petition will be started and he will wind up staying / returning.
 
On the BBC site someone is trying to argue that dinosaurs are a made up fantasy, in the Comments section :)
 
On the BBC site someone is trying to argue that dinosaurs are a made up fantasy, in the Comments section :)
That is because all the skeletons and fossils were put there by God as a cosmic joke on scientists.
 
As we all know, kids love dinosaurs. George (Peppa Pig) always has a dinosaur to hand. I've never seen children getting excited about a whale?
Isn't it supposed to be a Natural History Museum anyway?

This is pushing an agenda. Endangered Animals .
Nothing wrong with preservation per se, but can't we just see things without a message?
 
If the blue whale had gone extinct 150 million years ago, and Sauropods were still around, we'd feel the opposite :).

Strictly speaking the blue whale is actually a more impressive animal- ten times heavier than diplodocus. But I take the point. Dinosaurs are one of the images one associates with the natural history museum and it would be sad to see them go.
 
Interestingly the diplodocus has only been in the Central Hall for 44 of the 110 years it has been in the Museum, it certainly wasn't there when I first visited the Museum in the 60's.

Don't ask me what was, I can't remember :)
 
The Whale is a pretty incredible sight though. Tucked away in the back at the moment.
 
On the BBC site someone is trying to argue that dinosaurs are a made up fantasy, in the Comments section :)

Must be one of the bbc's American users.

Ooh yes I said it.

(Link?)
 
...
Don't ask me what was, I can't remember :)
A mammoth, I believe.

There seem to be plenty of good reasons for doing it, and I think public reaction will be OK. As you say, it's not a tradition; simply the current feature exhibit which has been there perhaps a little too long.

It will clear up the Hintze Hall floor and prevent crowds obstructing the entrance. Also, as someone says, it will allow larger audiences to attend the receptions and lectures. That's not being cynical: those things are always over-subscribed.

After its tour of UK museums, it will be restored to its original place in the Dinosaur Hall. A new weather-proof casting sited outside will look great.

Our grandkids love the NHM, but Dippy only has passing interest. What they really like is the animatronics T-Rex and the Dinosaur Hall. The whales impress them no end, too.

Personally, instead of a blue whale skeleton, even if it is a real one, I'd prefer them to hang the full-size model they have. Now that would be something!!
 
Uh oh I hope this thread does not go down that road :eek:

I think it would be good to show the whale, it is an extremely impressive animal.
A bonus would be for them to put Dippy outside, but I imagine that will be met with some resistance.
See above. It's definitely being mooted.

They'll need a new resin cast. The existing one isn't weather-proof.
 
Looks like a hit-and-run comedy poster
 
"But for the larger part of the 20th Century, it was African elephants that dominated the big hall"

That would fit in with there being a Mammoth there too :thumbsup:
 
"But for the larger part of the 20th Century, it was African elephants that dominated the big hall"

That would fit in with there being a Mammoth there too :thumbsup:
No, I think you're right. Looking at the old pics on the BBC site, it seems to have been mostly elephants; I probably misremembered.
 
I couldn't remember at all, so you were doing better than me :)
 
Far better to have a real skeleton with all its bones present than a fake Dino one. Have not been to the natural history museum since being a kid in the 80s,must be far better now
 
I agree, a Blue Whale real skeleton which, after watching The One Show, they say will take over a year to assemble. Is far better than a fabricated dinosaur.They also said a weatherproof 'Dippy' version will be a permanent display outside the museum and 'Dippy" will be going on tour.Cant ask for more than that. They also mentioned that one of, if not, the first skeletons to grace the hall was a Sperm Whale.
 
This one:

_80636875_sperm.jpg


(1901)
 

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