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No, the dinosaur phase doesn’t end with adulthood. Just ask the residents of Crystal Palace. At this tyrannosaurus-sized weekender, you’ll get the chance to hang out with the area’s VIP residents: 30 concrete dinosaurs (created by natural history artist Waterhouse Hawkins in 1854) that have Grade I-listed status due to their historical value.
Once you’re suitably starstruck (and have done the behind-the-scenes tour of all the sculptures), there’s also a load of ace things on to tempt your inner dinosaur geek out to play. Don’t miss The Iguanodon Restaurant, a delightfully weird but educational street theatre performance that takes you through the story of geology and all the amazing discoveries we’ve made about our Jurassic friends over the years.
There will also be artwork on display that was inspired by the CP dinosaurs, as well as a Paleo Planting volunteer gardening session where you can help to plant vegetation that would fit in with the landscape that the creatures would’ve called home all those years ago. These odd, misshapen lizard creatures may not be anatomically correct as far as dinos go, but they’re ours, dammit.
Dinosaur Days will take place at Crystal Palace Park. Crystal Palace Overground. Sat Sep 15-Sun Sep 16. Free entry.
Are you out of the dinosaur phase and firmly in the astronaut phase? Go and hear Tim Peake talk space at New Scientist Live