Huge model of Patagotitan dinosaur to go on display in London next year

28 November 2022, 09:38 | Updated: 28 November 2022, 09:39

Patagotitan mayorum
Patagotitan mayorum. Picture: Natural History Museum/D.Pol

By Emma Soteriou

London's Natural History Museum is set to host the biggest dinosaur it has ever put on show - one of the largest to walk the Earth.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The Natural History Museum in London will host the dinosaur from next spring until 2024 in its European debut.

The titanosaur, Patagotitan mayorum, lived 100 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period.

It would have been four times heavier than the museum's famous Dippy the Diplodocus - weighing in at 57 tonnes - and 37 metres long - 12 metres longer than Hope the blue whale.

The huge model will be exhibited in the Waterhouse Gallery, where there will also be a titanosaur egg.

Read more: One hundred British companies to give workers a four-day week - with no loss of pay for workers

Read more: JK Rowling hits out at Labour for backing Nicola Sturgeon's controversial gender self-ID laws

View of the impressive fossil skeleton of a Titanosaur
View of the impressive fossil skeleton of a Titanosaur. Picture: Alamy
Workers assemble the Patagotitan mayorum dinosaur skeleton in the US
Workers assemble the Patagotitan mayorum dinosaur skeleton in the US. Picture: Alamy

Professor Paul Barrett, a dinosaur expert at the Natural History Museum, said: "Patagotitan mayorum is an incredible specimen that tells us more about giant titanosaurs than ever before.

"Comparable in weight to more than nine African elephants, this star specimen will inspire visitors to care for some of the planet’s largest and most vulnerable creatures, which face similar challenges for survival, and show that within Earth’s ecosystems, size really does matter."

The cast of Patagotitan mayorum has been provided to the museum by the Egidio Feruglio Palaeontological Museum in Argentina.

Alex Burch, director of public programmes at the Natural History Museum, said: "We are so excited that Patagotitan, the most complete giant dinosaur ever discovered, is making its European debut here.

"Our fascination with dinosaurs provides the ideal opportunity to inspire and inform the next generation about the natural world, and empower them to act for the planet."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Brits hit by Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 over revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says