Express & Star

Dippy On Tour, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery - review

Iconic Natural History Museum exhibit Dippy the Diplodocus has made its way to Birmingham as part of Dippy On Tour.

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Lead technician Andy Wahl next to Dippy which is now attracting visitors to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

The full skeleton cast was opened up to the public at Birmingham Museum today and will be on display until September 9, with the aim of inspiring families to explore nature on their doorstep.

Dippy stood in the centre of the exhibition, which inspired many shocked and amazed responses as visitors flooded through the doors.

Facts surrounded the prehistoric beast to inform families of the scale of its monstrous size, what its diet would have been, and other environmental factors.

Though Dippy may have been the star attraction, a selection of fantastic taxidermy bird specimens surrounded the Diplodocus as part of a dual exhibition.

Not all dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years. One group survived and evolved into the birds we know today.

Conservator Nikki Harrison comes face to face with Dippy

The stunning specimens acted to teach visitors how the features we think of as characteristic of birds, such as feathers and nests, first appeared in dinosaurs through interactive displays and engaging fact boxes.

The exhibition also expertly displayed the amazing diversity of modern birds and how they evolved - from the minuscule hummingbird to the gigantic albatross - to become one of the most successful groups of animals inhabiting almost every part of the world.

Specimens that attracted some of the most attention was a cast of famous extinct bird the Dodo, and a Great Auk specimen.

Another part of the exhibition that made visitors stop and think included displays of British birds as well as facts about local conservation and what you can do to take part.

Each of the exhibits contained a variety of vibrantly displayed facts that captivated people of all ages, and provided hours of fun in the one-room exhibition

Before exiting the museum, people could leave messages for Dippy to take on tour - a perfect finishing touch for the fun activity.

Dippy On Tour is sure to attract the whole family these next few months with its wonderful specimens and fun, educational content.