Rochdale wins world-famous dinosaur skeleton
A world famous dinosaur skeleton is moving to Rochdale.
A world famous dinosaur skeleton is moving to Rochdale.
Dippy the Diplodocus has lived in the National History Museum since 1905 but he's going on tour and will stop at Number One Riverside in 2020.
The award winning council offices beat off competition from more than 80 other venues in the UK.
The main aim of the tour is inspire children to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths but it will also boost the economy. Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing at Rochdale Borough Council, said:
“This must be the first time an internationally famous museum exhibit has been placed in a council building and I think it is fantastic. In doing this, both ourselves and the Natural History Museum are bringing the natural collection right to people’s doorstep and that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our young people, many of whom would not be able to see these incredible artefacts in their usual home. “Rochdale might seem like an unconventional location for Dippy, but we have a compelling story to tell. As a place which was at the forefront of the industrial revolution, we inadvertently damaged the environment, but we are now leading the way in a sustainable development and our host venue Number One Riverside, which has a number of environmentally friendly features, is probably the best example of that.” Darren Grice, Head of Culture, Health and Participation at Link4Life, said:
“At Touchstones Rochdale we are always looking for opportunities to excite, educate and inspire people through learning about our past and thinking about our future. Hosting Dippy in Rochdale provides us with a unique opportunity to do just this. Not only will people across the North West be blown away by the awe inspiring scale of a Dippy, we can create a real conversation around climate change, biodiversity and their impact on the world in which we live.” Katrina Nilsson, Head of National Public Programmes at the Natural History Museum, said:
“Rochdale is the perfect location for the Dippy on Tour. Nestled in the Pennines, this market town has a long history of industry and scientific endeavour. As the Natural History Museum’s tour partner in the North West we are sure Rochdale will attract people from across the region to come and see Dippy, and most importantly, to get out and explore nature on their doorstep.”